“Regardless of the result, I urge all Americans to respect the verdict and the legal process. At this dangerously divided moment in our history, all leaders—regardless of party—must not pour fuel on the fire with more toxic partisanship. We must reaffirm what has made this nation great: the rule of law.”

That is Larry Hogan, running for the U.S. Senate from Maryland. Apart from the nonsense that the U.S. is more “dangerously divided” than in our past (political division is not dangerous), and the nonsense that a DA or Attorney General running for the office explicitly to destroy Donald Trump and finding a state misdemeanor to morph into numerous federal felonies (three per ledger entry) has something to do with “the rule of law,” Hogan is a Sununu Republican, looking to CNN both for his facts and for approval, fighting a war on a battleground selected by his enemy, appealing to Democrats ON THEIR TERMS.

Pretty Kelly Ayotte surely hates Trump more than ever. Twenty’leven federal felonies sure beats bawdy talk between golfers, but even the latter clip, which NBC warehoused for a decade and deployed at the precise end of the 2016 campaign, got Ayotte to cap a continually disappointing term as U.S. Senator by breaking with Trump and bragging about casting a meaningless write-in vote for Mike Pence, superficially supporting the Republican Party as she was sabotaging its effort to carry New Hampshire.

We want to thank Spike for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
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Ayotte will break with Trump again, when the time is right. The right time will be after we nominate her for Governor. How do we know this? Because Ayotte is the quintessential CENTRIST. A centrist scans the field, finds out what everyone else believes, and then positions herself in the center. If the left is intractable (and especially engages in rioting and looting), the centrist moves left. Because the centrist believes in nothing—certainly not what we believe in, if powerful, influential, numerous, or uncivil people believe in the opposite. This is the essence of Ayotte’s 2020 slogan, “Listening, Learning, and then Leading” that led a thousand Sure Things like me to abstain or vote third-party and exile her to the corporate boardroom.

Now she is back, with name recognition, a war chest, and a gimmick (womanhood). And a party that knows it cannot persuade loves a gimmick. Ayotte has learned her lines well; indeed, either of the Democrat candidates will do to New Hampshire what has been done to Democrat states and cities and what the leading candidate started to do to Manchester: ignore well-adjusted, well-behaving, taxpaying Granite Staters in favor of lawbreakers—notably, Joe Biden’s hordes of foreign invaders—and the misbehaving. Excuse them, subsidize them, credential them, ensure they can misbehave safely, and celebrate them.

Ah, but what will Ayotte do? What she has always done: seek the center. She will be a Joyce Craig on downers, wrecking New Hampshire more gradually.

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In the rapidly evolving landscape of blockchain technology, the need for seamless interoperability between different networks has become increasingly paramount. As diverse ecosystems emerge, each with its unique strengths and capabilities, the ability to freely exchange data and assets across these siloed environments is crucial for fostering innovation and unlocking the full potential of decentralized applications (dApps) and decentralized finance (DeFi) protocols.

Enter Optimism, a pioneering Layer 2 scaling solution built on top of the Ethereum blockchain. While Optimism’s primary focus lies in addressing the scalability limitations of Ethereum through its innovative Optimistic Rollup technology, the project has also developed a groundbreaking cross-chain bridge that facilitates seamless communication and value transfer between the Ethereum mainnet and Optimism’s Layer 2 environment. This Ethereum bridge represents a significant step forward in the quest for cross-chain interoperability, paving the way for a more connected and collaborative blockchain ecosystem.

The Significance of Cross-Chain Bridges

Cross-chain bridges serve as vital conduits, enabling the exchange of data and assets between different blockchain networks. These bridges establish secure channels for communication, allowing users to move their holdings, such as tokens or other digital assets, from one network to another, effectively bridging the gap between disparate ecosystems.

In the context of the Optimism project, the Ethereum bridge plays a crucial role in facilitating the movement of Ethereum-based assets, such as ERC-20 tokens, between the Ethereum mainnet and Optimism’s Layer 2 scaling solution. This interconnectivity not only enhances liquidity and capital efficiency but also unlocks new opportunities for developers to leverage the strengths of both networks simultaneously.

How Optimism Ethereum Bridge Works

Optimism’s Ethereum bridge operates through a two-step process: depositing and withdrawing. When a user wishes to transfer assets from the Ethereum mainnet to the Optimism network, they initiate a deposit transaction. This transaction locks the assets on the mainnet and generates a corresponding representation on the Optimism Layer 2 environment. This representation essentially acts as an IOU, representing the user’s claim to the locked assets on the mainnet.

Conversely, when a user needs to move assets back from Optimism to the Ethereum mainnet, they initiate a withdrawal process. During this process, the Optimism-based representation of the assets is burned, and the original assets are unlocked and returned to the user’s Ethereum mainnet address.

This seamless back-and-forth movement of assets is made possible through the use of secure messaging protocols and cryptographic techniques that ensure the integrity and validity of the transactions across both networks.

Unlocking New Possibilities with Cross-Chain Interoperability

The ability to freely move assets and data between the Ethereum mainnet and Optimism’s Layer 2 environment unlocks a myriad of new possibilities and use cases. Developers can leverage the robust security and decentralization of the Ethereum mainnet while benefiting from the scalability and cost-efficiency offered by Optimism’s Layer 2 solution.

For instance, decentralized applications (dApps) that require high throughput and low transaction fees can be deployed on Optimism, while still retaining the ability to interact with smart contracts and protocols on the Ethereum mainnet. This cross-chain connectivity opens up new avenues for innovation, enabling the creation of hybrid dApps that combine the strengths of both networks.

Moreover, cross-chain interoperability has profound implications for the burgeoning field of decentralized finance (DeFi). By enabling the free flow of assets across different blockchain networks, users can access a wider range of DeFi protocols and services, unlocking new investment opportunities and facilitating more efficient capital allocation.

Imagine a scenario where a user holds assets on the Ethereum mainnet but wishes to participate in a yield farming opportunity on Optimism’s Layer 2 environment. With the Ethereum bridge in place, the user can seamlessly transfer their assets to Optimism, participate in the yield farming protocol, and then withdraw their earnings back to the Ethereum mainnet, all without the need for centralized intermediaries or trusted third parties.

Addressing Cross-Chain Security Concerns

While cross-chain bridges offer immense potential for interoperability and collaboration, they also introduce new security challenges that must be addressed. As assets and data flow across different networks, robust safeguards must be in place to prevent malicious activities such as double-spending, theft, or other forms of exploitation.

Optimism’s Ethereum bridge employs a range of security measures to mitigate these risks. One key feature is the use of fraud proofs, which allow for the detection and prevention of invalid state transitions or malicious behavior on the Optimism network. If any fraudulent activity is detected, the bridge can be halted, and the affected assets can be recovered through a dispute resolution process.

Additionally, the Optimism team has implemented rigorous security audits and formal verification processes to ensure the integrity and correctness of the bridge’s underlying code and protocols. Ongoing research and development efforts are underway to further enhance the security and trustworthiness of cross-chain bridges, exploring advanced techniques such as zero-knowledge proofs and secure multi-party computation.

The Future of Cross-Chain Interoperability

As the blockchain industry continues to evolve and mature, the demand for cross-chain interoperability will only intensify. Optimism’s Ethereum bridge represents a significant step forward in this journey, but it is merely the beginning of a broader movement towards a more interconnected and collaborative blockchain ecosystem.

Looking ahead, we can expect to see the emergence of more sophisticated cross-chain bridge solutions, tailored to specific use cases or industry verticals. These bridges may leverage advanced cryptographic techniques, such as zk-rollups or validium approaches, to further enhance scalability, privacy, and security.

Furthermore, the concept of cross-chain interoperability extends beyond the realm of Ethereum and its Layer 2 solutions. As other blockchain networks, such as Bitcoin, Polkadot, and Cosmos, gain traction and establish their own ecosystems, the need for seamless communication and value transfer between these disparate networks will become increasingly crucial. Initiatives like the Cosmos Inter-Blockchain Communication (IBC) protocol and the Polkadot ecosystem’s cross-chain messaging capabilities are paving the way for a more interconnected future.

Conclusion

Optimism’s Ethereum bridge is a pioneering solution that exemplifies the power of cross-chain interoperability. By enabling the seamless movement of assets and data between the Ethereum mainnet and Optimism’s Layer 2 environment, this innovative technology is breaking down barriers and fostering a more collaborative and interconnected blockchain ecosystem.

As the industry continues to evolve, cross-chain bridges will play a vital role in unlocking new opportunities for decentralized applications, financial services, and beyond. By facilitating the free flow of value and data across different networks, these bridges will drive innovation, promote capital efficiency, and empower developers to leverage the unique strengths of various blockchain ecosystems.

While challenges related to security and scalability remain, ongoing research and development efforts are paving the way for more advanced cross-chain solutions, ensuring that the future of blockchain technology is one of seamless interoperability and boundless possibilities.

The post Bridging the Gap: Optimism’s Ethereum Bridge and the Future of Cross-Chain Connectivity appeared first on Granite Grok.

The New Hampshire General Court (i.e. our legislature) has finished its work for this year (except for a veto override session in the Fall).

I have crunched the numbers – i.e. the voting records of 2024 – to determine objectively which members are RINOs – Republicans In Name Only.

The RINO Report is different from all other scorecards in that it looks at every single roll call. It is entirely mathematical and objective. There is no subjective decision making about which votes to score, or what is the correct vote for each roll call.

The correct vote for each roll call is whichever way 80% of Republicans vote. If Republicans are divided then that roll call is not scored. E.g. on vote #161, 79% of Republicans voted Yea. That did not meet the 80% threshold so was not scored.

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When both parties vote the same way, those roll calls are not scored. E.g. on vote #152, Republicans were practically unanimous in opposing the bill, but Democrats were also opposed, so that vote was not scored.

The RINO Report scores all votes where a super-majority (80%) of Republicans voted opposite a majority of Democrats. A RINO vote is when a Republican votes with Democrats against a super-majority of Republicans.

The House had 284 roll calls this year. There were 232 votes where 80% of Republicans voted one way and Democrats voted the other way. Each member’s RINO score is simply what percentage of those 232 votes he or she voted with Democrats against Republicans.

It should be no surprise that most Republicans most of the time vote the same way. We believe in certain principles such as individual freedom, limited government, and free enterprise. For most bills we reach the same conclusion. This year there were 20 votes where 100% of Republicans voted the same way (and Democrats voted the opposite). There were another 73 votes where only 1 or 2 Republicans voted with Democrats.

Almost every Rep at one time or another casts a vote the same as the Democrats. One example is when a Republican votes against the budget because it is too large while the Democrats vote against it because they think it is too small. Thankfully, such votes are not common.

This year there were 30 Reps who scored a perfect 0%. Looking at all Republicans, the median RINO score was 1.7%, meaning that on average they voted with Democrats only 1.7% of the time. 80% of Republicans scored lower than 4.5%; 90% scored lower than 7.2%.

There were 10 Republicans who voted more than 10% of the time against fellow Republicans. Clearly, they are out of mainstream Republicanism. Even more outside of the mainstream were 4 Republicans who voted more than 20% of the time with Democrats against Republicans. Worst as usual was Dan Wolf.

RINO score		#RINO votes
71.4%	Wolf, Dan (R, Newbury)	140
26.7%	Bordes, Mike (R, Laconia)	52
23.2%	Guthrie, Joseph (R, Hampstead)	45
20.4%	Thackston, Dick (R, Troy)	42
17.6%	Bickford, David (R, New Durham)	39
15.6%	Coker, Matthew (R, Meredith)	35
14.8%	Mason, James (R, Franklin)	27
13.1%	O’Hara, Travis (R, Belmont)	8
11.2%	Pearson, Mark (R, Hampstead)	26
10.5%	Ankarberg, Aidan (R, Rochester)	23

Here is the full list:

RINO score		#RINO votes
71.4%	Wolf, Dan (R, Newbury)	140
26.7%	Bordes, Mike (R, Laconia)	52
23.2%	Guthrie, Joseph (R, Hampstead)	45
20.4%	Thackston, Dick (R, Troy)	42
17.6%	Bickford, David (R, New Durham)	39
15.6%	Coker, Matthew (R, Meredith)	35
14.8%	Mason, James (R, Franklin)	27
13.1%	O’Hara, Travis (R, Belmont)	8
11.2%	Pearson, Mark (R, Hampstead)	26
10.5%	Ankarberg, Aidan (R, Rochester)	23
9.8%	Proulx, Mark (R, Manchester)	20
9.6%	Milz, David (R, Derry)	18
9.6%	Sytek, John (R, Salem)	22
9.2%	Trottier, Douglas (R, Belmont)	10
8.2%	Bogert, Steven (R, Laconia)	19
8.2%	Boyd, Bill (R, Merrimack)	19
8.2%	Pratt, Kevin (R, Raymond)	19
8.1%	Nagel, David (R, Gilmanton)	15
8.1%	Pearson, Stephen (R, Derry)	18
7.5%	Hunt, John (R, Rindge)	16
7.3%	Vandecasteele, Susan (R, Salem)	15
7.1%	Crawford, Karel (R, Moultonborough)	12
7.1%	Roy, Terry (R, Deerfield)	15
6.5%	Foote, Charles (R, Derry)	13
6.5%	King, Seth (R, Whitefield)	15
6.1%	Andrus, Louise (R, Salisbury)	13
6.1%	Healey, Robert (R, Merrimack)	14
6.1%	Packard, Sherman (R, Londonderry)	3
5.7%	Plett, Fred (R, Goffstown)	13
5.6%	Phinney, Brandon (R, Rochester)	11
5.6%	Yokela, Josh (R, Fremont)	13
5.3%	Rhodes, Jennifer (R, Winchester)	12
5.2%	McDonnell, Valerie (R, Salem)	12
5.1%	Gerhard, Jason (R, Northfield)	11
5.1%	Mooney, Maureen (R, Merrimack)	11
4.8%	Fedolfi, Jim (R, Hillsborough)	10
4.8%	Lascelles, Richard (R, Litchfield)	11
4.8%	Testerman, Dave (R, Franklin)	9
4.7%	Harley, Tina (R, Seabrook)	6
4.7%	Nelson, Jodi (R, Derry)	11
4.7%	Popovici-Muller, Daniel (R, Windham)	11
4.4%	Santonastaso, Matthew (R, Rindge)	9
4.4%	Tierney, James (R, Northumberland)	8
4.3%	Cole, Brian (R, Manchester)	8
4.3%	Davis, Arnold (R, Milan)	10
4.3%	MacDonald, Wayne (R, Londonderry)	10
4.0%	Kuttab, Katelyn (R, Windham)	9
3.9%	Janvrin, Jason (R, Seabrook)	9
3.6%	Beaudoin, Richard (R, Gilford)	7
3.6%	Prudhomme-O’Brien, Katherine (R, Derry)	8
3.5%	Katsakiores, Phyllis (R, Derry)	8
3.5%	MacDonald, John (R, Wolfeboro)	8
3.5%	Stapleton, Walter (R, Claremont)	8
3.4%	Donnelly, Tanya (R, Salem)	8
3.3%	Boehm, Ralph (R, Litchfield)	7
3.3%	Brown, Carroll (R, Bristol)	7
3.2%	Ouellet, Mike (R, Colebrook)	7
3.1%	Panek, Sandra (R, Pelham)	6
3.1%	Rochefort, David (R, Littleton)	7
3.0%	Ball, Lorie (R, Salem)	7
3.0%	Emerick, Tracy (R, Hampton)	7
3.0%	Phillips, Emily (R, Fremont)	7
3.0%	Seidel, Sheila (R, Goffstown)	7
3.0%	Smith, Steven (R, Charlestown)	5
3.0%	Weyler, Kenneth (R, Kingston)	7
2.9%	Khan, Aboul (R, Seabrook)	6
2.8%	Dolan, Tom (R, Londonderry)	6
2.7%	Belcher, Mike (R, Wakefield)	6
2.6%	Brown, Richard (R, Moultonborough)	6
2.6%	Cahill, Tim (R, Raymond)	6
2.6%	Costable, Michael (R, Freedom)	6
2.6%	Creighton, Jim (R, Antrim)	6
2.6%	Harb, Robert (R, Plaistow)	6
2.6%	Ladd, Rick (R, Haverhill)	6
2.6%	Spilsbury, Walter (R, Charlestown)	6
2.5%	Verville, Kevin (R, Deerfield)	5
2.4%	Infantine, William (R, Manchester)	4
2.3%	Reid, Karen (R, Deering)	5
2.2%	Corcoran, Travis (R, Weare)	5
2.2%	Cordelli, Glenn (R, Tuftonboro)	5
2.2%	Cushman, Leah (R, Weare)	5
2.2%	Edwards, Jess (R, Auburn)	5
2.2%	Ford, Oliver (R, Chester)	5
2.2%	King, Bill (R, Milford)	5
2.2%	Lynn, Bob (R, Windham)	5
2.2%	Melvin, Charles (R, Newton)	5
2.2%	Polozov, Yury (R, Hooksett)	5
2.2%	Seaworth, Brian (R, Pembroke)	5
2.2%	Simon, Matthew (R, Littleton)	5
2.2%	Thomas, Douglas (R, Londonderry)	5
2.2%	Tudor, Paul (R, Northwood)	5
2.1%	Lundgren, David (R, Londonderry)	4
2.0%	Berry, Ross (R, Manchester)	4
1.9%	Connor, James (R, Rochester)	4
1.9%	Gould, Linda (R, Bedford)	3
1.9%	McCarter, Nikki (R, Belmont)	4
1.9%	McLean, Mark (R, Manchester)	4
1.8%	DeSimone, Debra (R, Atkinson)	4
1.8%	Hoell, J.R. (R, Dunbarton)	4
1.8%	Renzullo, Andrew (R, Hudson)	4
1.7%	Drye, Margaret (R, Plainfield)	4
1.7%	Granger, Michael (R, Milton)	4
1.7%	Greeson, Jeffrey (R, Wentworth)	4
1.7%	Horgan, James (R, Farmington)	4
1.7%	Kelley, Diane (R, Temple)	4
1.7%	Lekas, Tony (R, Hudson)	4
1.7%	Lewicke, John (R, Mason)	4
1.7%	Mannion, Tom (R, Pelham)	4
1.7%	Pauer, Diane (R, Brookline)	4
1.7%	Ploszaj, Tom (R, Center Harbor)	4
1.7%	Potenza, Kelley (R, Rochester)	4
1.7%	Smith, Jonathan (R, Ossioee)	4
1.7%	Walsh, Lilli (R, Hampstead)	4
1.4%	McConkey, Mark (R, Freedom)	3
1.4%	Spillane, James (R, Deerfield)	3
1.3%	Alexander, Joe (R, Goffstown)	3
1.3%	Ammon, Keith (R, New Boston)	3
1.3%	Kofalt, Jim (R, Wilton)	3
1.3%	Lekas, Alicia (R, Hudson)	3
1.3%	Mannion, Dennis (R, Salem)	3
1.3%	McGough, Tim (R, Merrimack)	3
1.3%	McGuire, Carol (R, Epsom)	3
1.3%	McGuire, Dan (R, Epsom)	3
1.3%	Notter, Jeanine (R, Merrimack)	3
1.3%	Rollins, Skip (R, Newport)	3
1.3%	Sweeney, Joe (R, Salem)	3
1.2%	Murphy, Michael (R, Gorham)	2
1.1%	Coulon, Matthew (R, Pike)	2
1.1%	Durkin, Sean (R, Northumberland)	2
1.0%	Smart, Lisa (R, Meredith)	2
0.9%	Abare, Kimberly (R, Pelham)	2
0.9%	Bailey, Glenn (R, Milton)	2
0.9%	Cambrils, Jose (R, Loudon)	2
0.9%	Colcombe, Riché (R, Hillsborough)	2
0.9%	Drago, Mike (R, Raymond)	2
0.9%	Gorski, Ted (R, Bedford)	2
0.9%	Harrington, Michael (R, Strafford)	2
0.9%	Janigian, John (R, Salem)	2
0.9%	Kennedy, Stephen (R, Hudson)	2
0.9%	Porcelli, Susan (R, Hampton Falls)	2
0.9%	Post, Lisa (R, Lyndeborough)	2
0.9%	Qualey, James (R, Rindge)	2
0.9%	Quaratiello, Arlene (R, Atkinson)	2
0.9%	Stone, Jonathan (R, Claremont)	2
0.9%	Vose, Michael (R, Epping)	2
0.5%	Leavitt, John (R, Hooksett)	1
0.5%	Moffett, Michael (R, Loudon)	1
0.5%	Nutting, Zachary (R, Winchester)	1
0.5%	Pitre, Joseph (R, Farmington)	1
0.5%	Prout, Andrew (R, Hudson)	1
0.5%	Sellers, John (R, Bristol)	1
0.5%	Turcotte, Len (R, Barrington)	1
0.4%	Aron, Judy (R, South Acworth)	1
0.4%	Avellani, Lino (R, Wakefield)	1
0.4%	Aylward, Deborah (R, Danbury)	1
0.4%	Bernardy, JD (R, South Hampton)	1
0.4%	Burnham, Claudine (R, Milton)	1
0.4%	Comtois, Barbara (R, Center Barnstead)	1
0.4%	Doucette, Fred (R, Salem)	1
0.4%	Dunn, Ron (R, Londonderry)	1
0.4%	Erf, Keith (R, Weare)	1
0.4%	Gagne, Larry (R, Manchester)	1
0.4%	Hill, Gregory (R, Northfield)	1
0.4%	Layon, Erica (R, Derry)	1
0.4%	McMahon, Charles (R, Windham)	1
0.4%	Newton, Clifford (R, Rochester)	1
0.4%	Noble, Kristin (R, Bedford)	1
0.4%	Osborne, Jason (R, Auburn)	1
0.4%	Soti, Julius (R, Windham)	1
0.4%	Terry, Paul (R, Alton)	1
0.4%	Tripp, Richard (R, Derry)	1
0.0%	Aures, Cyril (R, Chichester)	0
0.0%	Bean, Harry (R, Gilford)	0
0.0%	Berezhny, Lex (R, Grafton)	0
0.0%	Boyd, Stephen (R, Hooksett)	0
0.0%	Brouillard, Jacob (R, Nottingham)	0
0.0%	Dumais, Russell (R, Gilford)	0
0.0%	Griffin, Gerald (R, Mont Vernon)	0
0.0%	Harvey-Bolia, Juliet (R, Tilton)	0
0.0%	Hobson, Deb (R, East Kingston)	0
0.0%	Kaczynski, Thomas (R, Rochester)	0
0.0%	Kenny, Catherine (R, Hudson)	0
0.0%	Love, David (R, Derry)	0
0.0%	Mazur, Lisa (R, Weare)	0
0.0%	Perez, Kristine (R, Londonderry)	0
0.0%	Peternel, Katy (R, Wolfeboro)	0
0.0%	Piemonte, Tony (R, Sandown)	0
0.0%	Potucek, John (R, Derry)	0
0.0%	Sanborn, Laurie (R, Bedford)	0
0.0%	See, Alvin (R, Loudon)	0
0.0%	Sheehan, Vanessa (R, Milford)	0
0.0%	Sirois, Shane (R, New Ipswich)	0
0.0%	Summers, James (R, Newton)	0
0.0%	Tenczar, Jeffrey (R, Pelham)	0
0.0%	True, Chris (R, Sandown)	0
0.0%	Ulery, Jordan (R, Hudson)	0
0.0%	Varney, Peter (R, Alton)	0
0.0%	Wallace, Scott (R, Danville)	0
0.0%	Walsh, Thomas (R, Hooksett)	0
0.0%	Wherry, Robert (R, Hudson)	0
0.0%	Wood, Clayton (R, Pittsfield)	0

The post RINO Report Card for 2024 appeared first on Granite Grok.

I recently did an investigation into a Drag Queen performer who goes by the name Reverend Yolanda, and in this investigation, I found out that the group he was part of, the Radical Faeries, was actually a covert pedophile group.

Meet us on June 28th at 10:30 am EST in Conway, NH, at the Public Library on 15 Greenwood Ave so we can stop him from grooming children.

I was able to prove that Yolanda was part of the Radical Faeries and that the founder of the Radical Faeries, Harry Hay, a pedophile and founder of the North American Man/Boy Love Association, designed the Radical Faeries to hide pedophiles and infiltrate the Progressive Left to promote pedophilia. There are many other things that I uncovered and showed in the article, so if you haven’t read it I would suggest you give it a look through and share it with everyone you know.

Yolanda is scheduled to perform in front of children on June 28th at 10:30 am EST in Conway, NH at the Public Library on 15 Greenwood Ave. I need your help to stop this monster from harming children. I have contacted the police but they sighted that the 1st Amendment would protect him from being shut down, which is funny because last year they banned us from protesting in the public library. What happened to our 1st Amendment rights? The truth is rights don’t exist without the threat of violence and the state has a monopoly on violence. And this is why they try to take away our 2nd Amendment.

We want to thank Samara for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
You can review our ‘Op-Ed Guidelines‘ on the FAQ Page.

Yolanda Admits to Being a Radical Faerie:

During an interview with NYCITY NewsService titled “Helping Boys and Girls Feel Comfortable” Yolanda was asked about this question, “But you knew you were not Tony?” And Yolanda responded:

“Since I was a kid, I was really aware of myself. At least by fourth grade. But probably before that I knew that I was different. I was raised as a boy but I never felt like a boy. Back then we didn’t have words to describe gender identity. So I assumed I was a gay boy. That was the closest I could think I was.”

“I came out in elementary school, I think I was around 10. Which, actually, now that I work in Drag Story Hour, I meet a lot of kids who know they’re trans by the age of 10. They do. So I was right on track.”

“Of course it was really rough for a long time. So when we moved to a different state I decided I would start all over again and would go back in the closet. That didn’t work because I started falling in love with all these boys…I later decided to study theater and move to New York.”

Then Yolanda was asked, “So it was then when you really discovered Yolanda?” And he answered:

“So at that point I got really discouraged…Then around the 1990s (1993), I met a group of people called the Radical Faeries. We were queer people that played with gender (…) I was exploring a new age of spirituality. I moved to another Radical Faerie commune in Vermont and that’s when I started calling myself Yolanda.”

Harry Hay, North American Man/Boy Love Association Spokesman:

Hay was an ardent supporter of the North American Man/Boy Love Association (NAMBLA), a gay organization that advocates for pedophilia, and in a 1983 article, titled “A Quest for Knowledge,” that Hay wrote for NAMBLA, he makes the parallel of the word “faeries” to his organization that he founded, the Radical Faeries:

“Between thirteen and fourteen, I had begun to hear about the fact that there are men who sometimes like boys, and I want very much to know about these things. I’d heard about this from the men who worked in the fields the year before. They told me about them; they called them ‘fairies.’”

Hay also explains how he become a pedophile by being molested by an adult:

“I get a job on the freighter. It took two and a half days for the freighter to go from San Francisco to Los Angeles in those days, and they break at San Luis Obispo. They go in for the night to San Luis Obispo proper. I’m checking it out with the fellows because in one of the places they had some rotgut—remember, this is Prohibition—and then get all looped with the queers. I decided, I don’t want to go with the queers, but I might go out and watch the fellows go in and out and watch everything else. But the point is that I had perfect choice. I had the right to make a choice. I am fourteen; I am earning a man’s board, a man’s labor, I’m being treated as a man at fourteen, and I’m making all kinds of decisions at fourteen. But from the point of view that you are hearing, I am a child.”

Hay then tries to say that he was the molester and not the 25-year-old man:

“The point is that I was perfectly capable of handling myself and knowing exactly what I wanted. But this year I knew that I wanted to find a man to tell me what I wanted to know. So, at fourteen, you realize, I’m a child molester. I’m a child, and I’m molesting an adult till I find out what I want to know. And I found him, and he was shocked. Then he discovered that, rather than being a man, as he suspected that I was from the way I looked—my callouses on my hands, and the way I handled myself, and my clothing—that I was only a fourteen-year-old kid, and if anybody found out about it he’d be in jail for life, or, at least in California twenty-three years in that period.”

It is because of this molestation that Hay bases his whole ideology and begins the demonic task of trying to normalize your children being molested so they too can become like him and so that older men like him can enjoy your children:

“I’m telling you this story, and I’m saying it tonight, in memory of a man—all I can remember is that his name was Matt. And I send to all of you my love and deep affection for what you offer to the boys, in honor of this boy when he was fourteen, and when he needed to know best of all what only another gay man could show him and tell him.”

Hay then tells the world that you’re not truly a gay ally if you don’t let pedophiles rape your children:

“I also would like to say at this point that it seems to me that in the gay community the people who should be running interference for NAMBLA are the parents and friends of gays. Because if the parents and friends of gays are truly friends of gays, they would know from their gay kids that the relationship with an older man is precisely what thirteen-, fourteen-, and fifteen-year-old kids need more than anything else in the world. And they would be welcoming this, and welcoming the opportunity for young gay kids to have the kind of experience that they would need.”

“So, again, as I said, my offering is not as a member of NAMBLA, but in memory of that fourteen-year-old boy who was handled by Matt so long ago. And in memorial to Matt, I offer you my love.”

This wasn’t the first time that Hay had been molested; in fact, early on in his life, he was molested by an older man at a swimming pool. Speaking at a NAMBLA conference on Oct. 7, 1984, Hay recounted an experience from his childhood where he was molested by the gay man:

“So I’m about twelve years old and I swim very well at this point—very good swimming underwater and various other things. And so I don’t go into the kids’ pool, I go in the big pool. And I had this experience probably five or six times. Some man comes up to me, wants me to see how long he can stay underwater. And it’s important for me to understand just how long he stays underwater. He’s going to go way down to the other end of the pool and he’s going to come up between my legs and he’s going to come out the other end. So he goes down to the other side, he swims through my legs, and he [does?] my cock out of my bathing suit and he caresses it a couple of times and comes out the other end. And then he is going to come back. So he comes back through again, and this time spends a little more time.”

The True Purpose of the Radical Faeries:

At a NAMBLA conference in Los Angeles on November 8th, 1986, Harry Hay explained to his fellow pedophiles that they were going to have to operate unground covertly to make sure they could continue to enjoy pedophilia:

“I find this particular situation that we’re coming into, in a way, a sort of replay of things I’ve seen before in my life, and I would suggest that it’s very possible that we are moving into a period where, as the speaker [Dan Tsang] pointed out, we may find ourselves being moved against on all fronts.  Which would suggest, then, that we’re going to have to go back to various forms of underground activity. I would say that in my life, I’ve spent more time being an outlaw than being an in-law. And consequently, I would say that I know a good deal about how you operate as an outlaw, how you operate underground, how you operate in defiance, how you operate, presumably, almost in parallel, but actually in opposition to it.”

Next Hay talks about advancing pedophilia in America by ingratiating themselves into government and the Progressives of the Left that we see today:

“One of things that I think we have to be concerned about—and here again, I think this is where we begin to see what we can do and how far we can advance ourselves—is the march on Washington that comes up next October.  I think this is a place where we have to find very imaginative ways to reach all kinds of elements of the community that we up to now haven’t thought of touching.  Not only to reach all kinds of elements of our own community, but to find the weak spots, shall we say, within the left, within the progressive forces in the hetero community who might find themselves in parallel with where we are, or in parallel with the way that we feel we are going to go, and make of them willing—or even unwilling—allies in this whole regard.  I think, as a matter of fact, we can count on the fact that we’re probably going to see far more repression on the part of the government for a while.  I don’t think we’ve peaked.  I think we’re seeing ourselves on the beginning of a rising tide.  And we’re going to have to fall back on our inventiveness and our creative imagination.”

Lastly, Hay tells the world what the Radical Faeries actually are and what they are designed to do for pedophiles:

“And here, honeys, I might say that the Radical Faeries are way ahead of you, because don’t forget that faeries can always vanish.  This is one of the things that we’re going to have to learn to do again.  We have to learn to remember that when people lean on us too hard, we just simply aren’t there anymore.  There are ways and means by which we can do that.  I do pass on to you the remark that was passed on to the revolutionaries by Maksim Gorky long ago:  He who fights and runs away will live to fight another day.”

What Would You Do to Save Your Own Children?

Yolanda is scheduled to perform in front of children on June 28th at 10:30 am EST in Conway, NH, at the Public Library on 15 Greenwood Ave. I need your help to stop this monster from harming children.

I have contacted the local police, but they cited that the First Amendment would protect him from being shut down. This is funny because last year, on June 23rd, they banned us from protesting in the public library. What happened to our First Amendment rights?

If you would like to voice your concerns to the Conway PD, here is their info:

• Tel: (603) 356-5715
• E-Mail: police@conwaypdnh.gov

Make sure to remind Chief Christopher J. Mattei, who is one of the police officers in the video, that it’s unconstitutional to ban protestors from a public building.

The truth is rights don’t exist without the threat of violence, and the state has a monopoly on violence. And this is why they try to take away our 2nd Amendment.

I tried reaching out to the local newspaper, the Conway Daily Sun, and the editor, Margaret McKenzie, called me transphobic and claimed that I didn’t know what journalism was. Then I reached out to their publisher, Mark Guerringue, who stated that he wouldn’t look at my article because it was nonsense, even though he hadn’t looked at it. Guerringue even went out of his way to insinuate that it was fabricated because I “hate gay people”.

If you would like to voice your concerns to the Conway Daily Sun, you can reach them with their publicly available contact info:

Mark Guerringue, publisher:

• email, Mark@conwaydailysun.com
• phone, 603-387-5160

Margaret McKenzie, editor:

• email, Margaret@conwaydailysun.com
• phone, 603-733-5801

These are the kinds of people that we are going up against. They want to convert your children and subject them to harm so that your children will grow up to loathe you. They will not stop unless we force them from society. And mark my words, the police are just as complicit in this as the pedophiles.

So please show your support by commenting down below, sharing this post and leaving a like so that our cause becomes a massive call to protect children. I cannot in good faith rest until this pedophile is cast out of society.

Use the comment section as a petition that you will be there on June 28th at 10:30 am EST in Conway, NH at the Public Library on 15 Greenwood Ave so we can stop him from grooming children. We need all the support we can get to stop this man from harming children.

The post Alleged Pedophiles Grooming Children & You Can Help Us Stop It appeared first on Granite Grok.

Many non-Dems* are at least somewhat familiar with Americans for Prosperity(AFP), which Ed Mosca refers to in his rightful disparaging of “Koch-bots” within the GOP.  I leave it to the readers to bring themselves up to speed on the Koch brothers and point out all their daily anti-Trump mailers sent in January before the Republican* presidential primary that Chris Ager refused to get closed to nonmembers.  Regardless of YOUR opinion of Trump, this article is for everyone who wants to defeat Dems.

I will start by giving AFP praise where it’s due.  They generously provide resources like candidate training workshops, often catered and always free.  They sponsor free parties, such as the annual Pine Tree Riot one in Weare, and host phone banking events.  The list goes on, but AFP has done some other things, in addition what I already mentioned, that should give every savvy voter some pause.  I’ll mention a few of them because it’s my opinion that they fall under the “take what you like and leave the rest” category.

I will start by pointing out that they endorsed Mr. Stephen for the executive council while there were still several days of filing time remaining, despite his lack of record as an incumbent. Despite being a nonincumbent, he still has a political record, and it’s NOT a flattering one!

Is the endorsement a preemptive strike just to be “anti-Terese?” You decide.  While you’re deciding, I’ll share my take on why Mr Stephen is a bad choice, but let’s move on.

My Senator has regularly complained about AFP over the years and usually blames them when I reprimand him for voting the wrong way.  I usually tell him that I’m unhappy because he voted the wrong way, not because AFP told me to tell him that.  A few examples were Rosenwald’s welfare dental plan in 2022 and later enshrining MassHealth, both of which were the act of a hive-minded senate with no dissenters.  While I have no committed opinion on pot bills in general, he does.  What’s interesting is that he has an almost identical voting record to the senator once seated next to him, who sadly wasn’t reelected in 2022.  And that nearly identical voting record included voting NO on pot.  Whether or not you, the reader, care about pot, you should find it interesting that AFP sent out mailers to one district telling people to tell their senator to change his mind and/or vote a certain way, but NOT in the neighboring district.  Why is that?  All 24 votes are of equal value to each other.

Two other issues in my senator’s rant about AFP were that they aren’t anti-choice enough(for him) and that they support open borders.  I don’t care about the former as much as many others do, but I do care about the latter, and my research has come up with mixed information.  Readers are encouraged to do their own digging on that one and share what they find.

There are also two primaries that have viable candidates who are not strangers to the political scene.  One of them is for governor, which everyone should already be familiar with, and I have since gone on record speaking to, but once again, don’t forget “the Trump factor” tied to both candidates, regardless of YOUR thoughts of Trump.  My points are about AFP rather than Trump.  The other primary is in Senate District 23, where Sharon Sheeple, incumbent Senator Gannon, is being primaried by freshman Rep Emily Phillips.

Both are current members of the legislature and, therefore, have voting records and don’t need to be given candidate surveys.  I would hope that AFP does the right thing and endorses Emily, but keep in mind that Senator Gannon has endorsed Kelly Ayotte and they’re both establishment people.

And then there’s the whole matter of housing and AFP’s stance on it, but let’s stick with candidates for now.  And let’s not forget the two primaries for federal office.  While I have have not done sufficient research on the other district, one unfortunate prognostication I received is they’re likely to choose Vikram over Lily Tang Williams.  I certainly hope that’s not going to happen, but we’ll see.

Aren’t we all by now tired of the establishment prioritizing protecting its power over serving the best interest of the public?  Will AFP come about and make sound endorsements for District 23, the Corner Office, and the federal offices?  Or are they going to do like they did in executive council District 4 and do the bidding of the establishment elite?

The post Some Thoughts on Americans for Prosperity. appeared first on Granite Grok.

Kelly Ayotte has quite a future … in comedy, NOT politics. She’s telling everybody that she is going to stop the Democrat gubernatorial candidates from “massing up” New Hampshire. When New Hampshire is already “massed up” beyond repair. A short list … the public schools (and probably many private schools) teach the religion of the Left, DEI and CRT, lovely euphemisms for anti-White racism, as well as grooming children and enable abortions.

The supposedly majority GOP House on June 13th refused to ban “sanctuary cities,” and refused to expand EFAs. Look at the Democrats Woke-Communists celebrating the, to borrow a phrase, “massing up” of New Hampshire:

If you are a White-male you have to wear a suit and tie in the New Hampshire House. If you are a Woke-Communist, you can wear a two-sizes too small short-sleeves and flash your tats. It’s called hierarchy.

But bitter-clingers just keep pretending that Trump is somehow going to win a rigged election, then survive a Deep-State assassination, and then somehow single-handedly purge local government of bottom-feeders like Amanda Bouldin and Alissandra Murray.

I don’t understand the urgency to legalize weed in New Hampshire. The bitter-clingers chanting “New Hampshire advantage” and “don’t mass up New Hampshire” have to already be on far, far more powerful drugs.

The post Click Your Heels Together Three Times, While Repeating “New Hampshire Advantage” appeared first on Granite Grok.

Last week, I took Vermont Democrats to the rhetorical woodshed over a new law to charge fossil fuel companies for the cost of climate change. It was a fun ride but long-winded, so I published it on Substack.

It makes several excellent points about how stupid this greedy exercise is, but one in passing deserves more attention (emphasis added).

Millions of years ago, much of what is the modern US was underwater, absent our modern Western lifestyles. There was a lot of flooding, which makes the nonsense from the Accelerated sea level folks look silly.

We also had extreme temperatures and severe planet-changing weather events, all without fossil fuel companies to bilk or anyone voluntarily emitting the byproduct of their combustion (including the not yet existing government of the state of Vermont).

No one made anyone choose fossil fuels for anything, as George Sharpe observed on Sunday in the Albuquerque Journal about Vermont’s law and it’s joining other states to sue oil companies (in search of a budget bailout climate payday—IMO).

“…none of the plaintiffs acknowledge the benefits of fossil fuels — the underappreciated workhorse that brought us out of the dark ages. Carbon energy, which underpins our entire life as we know it, hasn’t ruined the environment but has helped preserve it.

The nastiest living conditions with the lowest life expectancy on the planet are where people have little, if any, access to energy.

Second, since Vermont and most of the other plaintiffs produce no oil or gas, exactly which companies are to blame for their emissions?

Vermont’s emissions did not occur because Exxon produces oil and gas in Texas or elsewhere, those emissions came because their citizens continue to consume the fuels that are crucial to running their lives.

Given the global nature of the accusation, the greedy will state unequivocally that it is the accumulation of emissions everywhere, but that doesn’t work for them either. If you believe climate dogma and reducing emissions are the path to salvation, you’re doing it in the wrong place. Africa, India, and China emit substantial amounts of whatever concerns you. China alone has outpaced everyone.

Fining oil companies doesn’t change that, even if Vermont’s law survives the numerous expected lawsuits. It’ll just be another payday misspent by greedy, incompetent leftists. They get a notation on that progressive resume of people who, like Greta, are whining in the West when they should be in Chongqing, Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, and Guangzhou. Greta won’t because, despite all that so-called bravery – and this includes every climate cultist in Vermont – is a front. A Facade. Just like the climate agenda.

The goal is to make us more like China; otherwise, they’d be there protesting and probably in a labor camp with Uyghurs making keffiyeh for protesting US college kids.

Other Fools Errands

Claims that they (big oil, gas, coal) knew about the damage and hid it are ridiculous, if not just because the only thing hidden is that CO2 is not doing anything the greedy climatists claim. There is more than enough leaked insider correspondence to create enough doubt to make any claim in court to the contrary fail. And when did Leftists decide they’d figured it out and stopped using fossil fuels? For most, never. Why not find them? Wait – you are; clean heat standard.

But they can’t afford Vermont taxes now, and they are always going up. Every tax and spend legislature needs a sugar daddy, and today’s targets are big oil and gas.

Whether social and political pushback will produce enough years of more reasonable leadership to reverse the damage (and properly investigate the fraud) remains to be seen. Still, every storm is announced with a breeze, so we can hope.

As for Vermont, its citizens will need to come together and agree that whatever the deal may be, their current crop of “leaders” does not have their best interests at heart and are trying to paper over their incompetence by bilking some climate devil to hide this with “easy money” that is only going to cost them more in the end.

And it will all be for nothing.

 

The post Who Made Vermont Use Fossil Fuels in the First Place? appeared first on Granite Grok.

It is the restrictors. The rank-and-file “Democrats” … more accurately, Woke-commie-bots … do not have enough water pressure when they bathe. They believe that grime is a a small price for pay for supposedly saving the polar ice-caps. The ruling class Woke-commies … the George Clooneys, Jimmy Kimmel’s, etc. … get to have full water pressure. That’s how collectivism works … the collective works for the rulers, under the illusion they are working for the Sate, the common good, the blah, blah, blah.

Here is President Trump … as only President Trump can … using humor to skewer the Woke-commies. REMOVE THE RESTRICTORS!

President Trump: “You ever go into a new home where you have a shower, where the water doesn’t come out of the shower head? They put a restrictor on. I took all the restrictions off. I took them off.

I’ve had the experience. I take a shower. I want that beautiful head of hair to… pic.twitter.com/2sFuVwYPmm

— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) June 15, 2024

 

The post Why Rank-and-File Democrats (Woke-Communists) Are So Dirty And Grimy appeared first on Granite Grok.

Let’s open by thanking the handful of people who have reached out to tell me that Facebook is taking down the Grok posts they share. The Platform marks them as spam and removes them for violating community standards. It is expected, and we know, but we don’t just have to take it.

The Community Standards include an obscure reference to spam links or spam on the destination page. We don’t do spam, but they might be referring to Disqus ads or some other automated advertising, which I feel is only spam when it happens alongside political opinions with which they disagree. One man’s spam is another man’s can of processed meat.

What can I say? Facebook sucks that way.

As a reminder, our “return” to Facebook was always predicated on the knowledge that we were still having our reach suppressed and that it was more an exercise for people who wanted to come to the ‘Grok Facebook Page themselves in search of content—because they happened to be on Facebook. Facebook was never going to be cordial about letting anyone see it in their feeds (and if so, only a few) or share it, and now they’ve proven the latter to be true. I’m not saying don’t share – please share! But you might have to do it differently.

What to do – Not Much We Can Do

Facebook is pulling our content, not just when you share it but directly from the Grok Facebook page. The automated AI, or whatever they are using, is pulling down posts about memes and letters to legislators with no links in them. Is this spam?

So, while we still share content there, we remind people to go directly to GraniteGrok.com and skip the despotic, free-speech-hating middleman. We are suggesting you try that instead. Share a link to the home page, which is less likely to get a takedown than a specific article. Put the article title in your remarks if you think that will get them to where you want them to go sooner.

Maybe add something like “See the Stories Facebook Keeps Taking Down.”

These takedowns will only get worse as the election nears, so we would appreciate you sharing the homepage link instead (often!)…not that Zuckerberger meister Berger’s minions (automated and human) won’t use the spam excuse to pull that post as well.

They will.

We should also remind you that since Facebook only colludes with the government, it can and will remove content for any reason at any time, and that’s their call. The collusion to suppress speech with the government is a problem for the government and the courts, not Facebook or anyone else. Though you’d like to think abetters of partisan political censorship would pay some price in the marketplace for such collusion.

I’m not convinced they will.

Social media fans can find ‘Grok content uncensored on Telegram, Signal, Gab, MeWe, Minds, and X. We also share some content on Locals if you are there.

The post Despotic Facebook is Marking ‘Grok Posts as Spam – Are We That Close to The Election? appeared first on Granite Grok.

In the course of my career I’ve taken many classes and seminars.  One such course was an introduction to the subject of quality, wherein we learned about the Kano Model of Quality (header image from the link), among other things.  Not only was it a fascinating concept among the multitude of quality-related topics presented, but it impacted my thinking about customer perception of a product (or service) that really influenced my thinking about what I did.

 

OVERVIEW

Essentially, there are three levels of quality in any good or service.

First, things that are expected to be present as a default.  Their presence does not increase satisfaction because they are expected as a baseline.  Their absence, however, can decrease satisfaction and sometimes make you downright irritable when they’re not there.  An example:

• You check into a hotel room. You expect the lights and TV, not to mention the sink, shower, and toilet, to be functional, everything clean, the bed made with new sheets, fresh towels, soaps and shampoo present, and so on.  The presence of these things doesn’t increase your satisfaction – because these are expected as a matter of course.

Second, things whose presence is “the more, the better”:

• A complimentary breakfast buffet at the hotel that includes basic breakfast stuff. The bigger the selection, and perhaps the longer the hours they’re open, the more pleased you are.

Third, things that you didn’t know you wanted until you see them – called surprise and delight features in automotive-land:

• One time, having been given a Lincoln Towncar to drive to visit a supplier for a weekend, I was amazed to find twin sun visors. One folded down and was movable as they usually are, but there was a second just-fold-down one once you deployed the first.  This was actually very useful as I was driving on curvy roads towards the sun on that trip and, having two sun visors, I avoided having to shift the visor back and forth as I drove.  Cool!

The idea that there could be such different levels of quality was a new thing to me.  As I said, that course really altered my view.

 

ANOTHER QUALITY LESSON

People value predictability & stability over the absolute level of quality.  For example, consider the example of McDonalds burgers.  Now MHO is that it’s a pretty crappy burger, but at least it’s consistent.  I can go into a McDonalds in Portland ME, or one in Phoenix AZ, or one local to me or just about anywhere (had a quarter pounder near the Dead Sea several years ago – same thing), and within some margin of variation I know what I’m getting.

Conversely, there are a couple of restaurants I’ve been to repeatedly where the levels of food quality and service vary widely from visit to visit.  I’m reluctant to go to them, certainly not to bring friends or guests – not because I haven’t had great food there, but because I don’t know what will happen each time I go in the door.  And while I’d not invite someone to a meal at Mcdonald’s, I’ll deliberately choose a place where I know what I’m getting, even if the absolute level of quality/service is less than I’ve had at other, sometimes better, but definitely more variable, places.

Again, people crave stability and predictability far more than they value the actual level of quality.

 

AS APPLIED TO SOCIETY

(Based on Surak’s comment, I’ve removed the Kissinger meme.)

I’d been mulling this over for quite some time, and this article on American Thinker, TIA: This Is Africa? No, This Is America – American Thinker, promoted my thought process.  A similar experience happened to me in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where one morning, there was no hot water for a shower.  Later that day, we saw a sign on the front door saying that the boiler was out and might – might – be up and running the next day.  Turns out it was the day after that when it was finally working again.  My then-fiancée and now-wife shrugged it off, saying This is Russia.

So consider this video from London:

 

https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/a-normal-day-in-london.mp4

 

In most modern cities, at least until recently, in most areas of said cities, it’s been a reasonable assumption that such a thing wouldn’t occur.  But we now see, in many cities in both America and Europe – formerly safe and predictable locations – massive crime waves.  We see smash-and-grab robberies filmed by people as they watch criminals walk in, load up on the store’s stock, and then waltz out.  In many instances, security does nothing; indeed, very often, security cannot do anything.

San Francisco Hardware Store Requires Customers Shop With Escort to Curb Shoplifting (legalinsurrection.com)

A recent report on theft of fire hydrants in LA for the scrap metal value:

302 fire hydrants have been stolen from LA streets since 2023 | The Post Millennial | thepostmillennial.com

Example after example after example is splashed on the internet daily – of crimes in places that used to be a low crime, people now being punched in the face randomly, break-ins in places that used not to have them… the list is legion of a clear and visible corrosion of the fabric and morality of our society.  Knife attacks.  Mob attacks.  This would have been unthinkable and astonishing even a decade ago in most areas:

 

 

As would seeing this (San Jose, CA, date unknown):

 

https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/police-car-attacked-in-san-jose.mp4

 

 

THE EXPECTED

 

 

I have told my kids, repeatedly, to be grateful for what we have:

• A home
• Electricity, running water, sanitation, heat and AC
• Food in the fridge
• A quiet neighborhood
• Medical care available 24-7
• Nobody shooting at us or attempting to stab us when we go out
• At least a semblance of the Rule of Law
• Et cetera

With little thought to what it took for us to get to having the above.

 

 

 

CHAOS – LEADS TO STRONGMEN

So what happens when that baseline of civilizational expectations crumbles?

 

Tucker Carlson Admits What Politician Truly Scares Him

 

 

It will be easy, with a chaotic environment, for someone to come along promising order… and the “benevolent hand” of Socialism.  Promising order and stability, at the price of freedom and a chance at increasing prosperity.  After months if not years of utter chaos and desperation, how many will willingly make that trade?

 

 

My bet?  A whole lot of people will.

 

 

CHAOS AND UNCERTAINTY

 

 

And destabilization, chaos, and desperation is what they want.  Fertile loam with which to implement Socialistopia.

 

 

Understand that all of what’s coming – whether economic collapse, banking crises, food shortages, WW3, Jabpocalypse, high crime, etc., are being deliberately engineered to create that chaotic and desperation-laden loam.  Your life, your family’s lives, and even your country’s survival do not factor into their pursuit of a one-world Socialist paradise on Earth.

Plan accordingly.

And boy, did I nail the prediction or what:

 

 

The post The Kano Model of Civilization appeared first on Granite Grok.

Keeping a home clean and well-maintained in a bustling city like New York can be challenging. Fortunately, professional cleaning services such as NYC Cleaning provide a range of benefits that make the investment worthwhile.

In this article, we will explore the top five benefits of hiring professional cleaning services for your New York home, focusing on aspects such as improving indoor air quality, saving time and effort, utilizing professional equipment and tools, ensuring deep and thorough cleaning, and benefiting from a professional approach and reliability.

For top-notch cleaning services in New York, visit https://www.nyccleaning.co/.

Improvement of Indoor Air Quality

One of the most significant benefits of professional cleaning services is the improvement of indoor air quality. Homes in New York City are often exposed to a variety of pollutants, from vehicle emissions to dust and allergens. Professional cleaners use specialized equipment and cleaning agents to effectively remove these pollutants, ensuring that the air inside your home is clean and healthy.

Comparison: DIY Cleaning vs. Professional Cleaning

Saving Time and Effort

Another major advantage of hiring professional cleaning services is the time and effort you save. Living in New York City often means having a busy lifestyle, leaving little time for household chores. By outsourcing cleaning tasks to professionals, you can focus on more important activities and enjoy your free time.

Time-Saving Techniques

Professional cleaners are trained to work efficiently, using techniques that minimize the time required to clean your home thoroughly. They follow systematic cleaning protocols that ensure every corner of your home is spotless in the least amount of time.

Professional Equipment and Tools

Professional cleaning services bring with them an array of advanced equipment and tools that are not typically available to the average homeowner. This includes high-powered vacuums, steam cleaners, and specialized brushes that ensure a deeper clean.

Key Equipment Used by NYC Cleaning

• High-Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) Vacuums: These vacuums capture fine particles of dust and allergens, improving air quality.
• Steam Cleaners: Ideal for sanitizing surfaces and killing germs without harsh chemicals.
• Specialized Brushes and Mops: Designed to reach into crevices and clean hard-to-reach areas effectively.

Deep and Thorough Cleaning in New York City

Deep and thorough cleaning is essential for maintaining a healthy and pleasant living environment. Professional cleaners from NYC Cleaning go beyond the surface, targeting hidden dirt and grime that accumulates over time.

Areas Covered in Deep Cleaning

• Carpets and Rugs: Removal of deep-seated dirt and allergens.
• Kitchen and Bathrooms: Intensive cleaning and sanitization.
• Windows and Blinds: Spotless cleaning for a clear view and better light.

Professional Approach and Reliability

One of the hallmarks of professional cleaning services is their professional approach and reliability. Companies like NYC Cleaning pride themselves on providing consistent, high-quality service.

Reliability Factors

• Trained and Certified Staff: Ensures that your home is cleaned by knowledgeable and experienced professionals.
• Consistent Results: Regular cleaning schedules that maintain a high standard of cleanliness.
• Customer Satisfaction: Commitment to meeting and exceeding client expectations.

In conclusion, professional cleaning services offer numerous benefits that enhance the quality of life for New York homeowners. From improving indoor air quality to saving time and effort, the advantages are clear. By leveraging professional equipment and ensuring a deep clean, these services provide a reliable and effective solution for maintaining a clean and healthy home environment. Embrace the benefits of professional cleaning and enjoy a spotless home with minimal effort.

 

The post Discover the Ultimate Benefits of NYC Cleaning Services appeared first on Granite Grok.

With the final day of the session past us, it is time to reminisce (cue misty dream sequence) about the past few months. We’ve been sharing – to the dismay of some – a weekly list of Republicans who missed roll call votes (and how many). Today, we have two lists. The Republicans voted in every roll call and then the full house.

Democrats, Independents, and Republicans are sorted by the total number of roll call votes missed from worst to best. We do not have a list of Dems who never missed a Roll Call. Some smarmy Dem site can do that work.

This does not mean the perfect Republicans didn’t miss votes (these are just Roll Calls), and as we’ve noted repeatedly, Reps in a civilian legislature are likely to miss some votes. People work, they get sick, crap comes up – life happens. Our purpose is not so much to shame but to remind you that when you have a razor-thin majority, you are going to lose good bills and fail to stop bad ones and showing up matters.

A greater majority helps and there are reps on the list who missed so many votes that it’s not a stretch to place some blame at their feet. Anyone in triple digits probably needs to be replaced (primaried), but since registering to run closed last Friday, that’ll be difficult. Write-ins can work in rare instances, but it’s a lot of work.

In our defense, the poor attendance folks have been poor for months, so we all knew who they were weeks ago.

The Lists

We have two lists. First, the “perfect” Republicans. These Reps are not perfect, but they did vote in every roll call, which—I will remind you—isn’t always a good thing. There are at least a few Republicans who vote the Democrat line too often and some on key bills, and that presence is not favorable to individual liberty or human freedom in those cases. You can look at their voting records when in doubt.

So, here we go.

Here are the kids who never miss class, with our own Judy Aron at the top (it’s alphabetical). And remember, if you get to totals of 20 or less for the year, that’s probably only one full session day or part of it.

2024
0	Aron, Judy (R, South Acworth)
0	Avellani, Lino (R, Wakefield)
0	Bailey, Glenn (R, Milton)
0	Ball, Lorie (R, Salem)
0	Bean, Harry (R, Gilford)
0	Berezhny, Lex (R, Grafton)
0	Bogert, Steven (R, Laconia)
0	Boyd, Stephen (R, Hooksett)
0	Brown, Richard (R, Moultonborough)
0	Burnham, Claudine (R, Milton)
0	Cahill, Tim (R, Raymond)
0	Colcombe, Riché (R, Hillsborough)
0	Costable, Michael (R, Freedom)
0	Donnelly, Tanya (R, Salem)
0	Drago, Mike (R, Raymond)
0	Drye, Margaret (R, Plainfield)
0	Dunn, Ron (R, Londonderry)
0	Emerick, Tracy (R, Hampton)
0	Erf, Keith (R, Weare)
0	Ford, Oliver (R, Chester)
0	Gagne, Larry (R, Manchester)
0	Greeson, Jeffrey (R, Wentworth)
0	Griffin, Gerald (R, Mont Vernon)
0	Hill, Gregory (R, Northfield)
0	Kaczynski, Thomas (R, Rochester)
0	Kennedy, Stephen (R, Hudson)
0	Lekas, Alicia (R, Hudson)
0	Lekas, Tony (R, Hudson)
0	Lewicke, John (R, Mason)
0	Love, David (R, Derry)
0	MacDonald, Wayne (R, Londonderry)
0	Mannion, Dennis (R, Salem)
0	Mannion, Tom (R, Pelham)
0	Mazur, Lisa (R, Weare)
0	McDonnell, Valerie (R, Salem)
0	McGough, Tim (R, Merrimack)
0	McGuire, Dan (R, Epsom)
0	Melvin, Charles (R, Newton)
0	Nelson, Jodi (R, Derry)
0	Newton, Clifford (R, Rochester)
0	Pauer, Diane (R, Brookline)
0	Pearson, Mark (R, Hampstead)
0	Phillips, Emily (R, Fremont)
0	Popovici-Muller, Daniel (R, Windham)
0	Qualey, James (R, Rindge)
0	Rollins, Skip (R, Newport)
0	Sheehan, Vanessa (R, Milford)
0	Sirois, Shane (R, New Ipswich)
0	Smith, Jonathan (R, Ossioee)
0	Spilsbury, Walter (R, Charlestown)
0	Thomas, Douglas (R, Londonderry)
0	Tudor, Paul (R, Northwood)
0	Vose, Michael (R, Epping)
0	Weyler, Kenneth (R, Kingston)
0	Wood, Clayton (R, Pittsfield)
0	Yokela, Josh (R, Fremont)

We appreciate you being in a position to be there every time, but not everyone can, and that’s not a dig. But (again), as noted above, some people have a very hard time getting to Concord on Session Day, and they are not all Republicans. Here is the master list for missed roll call votes, both parties, sorted by votes missed (including two independents who are not very dependable).

2024
284	Treleaven, Susan (D, Dover)
267	Rich, Jeffrey (D, Somersworth)
259	Sanborn, Laurie (R, Bedford)
208	O’Hara, Travis (R, Belmont)
171	Vincent, Kenneth (D, Somersworth)
167	Ellison, Arthur (D, Concord)
157	Trottier, Douglas (R, Belmont)
150	Huot, David (D, Laconia)
136	Perez, Maria (I, Milford)
122	O’Brien, Michael (D, Nashua)
118	Varney, Peter (R, Alton)
118	Filiault, Shaun (I, Keene)
115	Tatro, Bruce (D, Swanzey)
115	Murphy, James (D, Concord)
105	Payeur, Stephanie (D, Henniker)
97	McBeath, Rebecca (D, Portsmouth)
94	Piemonte, Tony (R, Sandown)
88	Dolan, William (D, Nashua)
87	Gould, Linda (R, Bedford)
85	Gibbons, Candace (D, Concord)
82	Sofikitis, Catherine (D, Concord)
81	Ford, Damond (D, Manchester)
78	Ryan, Linda (D, Nashua)
76	Crawford, Karel (R, Moultonborough)
76	Brouillard, Jacob (R, Nottingham)
75	Infantine, William (R, Manchester)
74	Bouldin, Amanda (D, Manchester)
72	Summers, James (R, Newton)
70	Monteil, Renee (D, Keene)
68	O’Neil, Candice (D, Hampton)
66	Pitre, Joseph (R, Farmington)
66	Harley, Tina (R, Seabrook)
59	Booras, Efstathia (D, Concord)
59	Mason, James (R, Franklin)
58	Tierney, James (R, Northumberland)
58	Hoyt, Tommy (D, Campton)
57	Tanner, Linda (D, Georges Mills)
56	Coulon, Matthew (R, Pike)
55	Testerman, Dave (R, Franklin)
55	Murphy, Michael (R, Gorham)
54	Guthrie, Joseph (R, Hampstead)
54	Lundgren, David (R, Londonderry)
54	Richards, Beth (D, Concord)
53	Nagel, David (R, Gilmanton)
52	Cole, Brian (R, Manchester)
52	Panek, Sandra (R, Pelham)
51	Buco, Thomas (D, Conway)
51	Nordgren, Sharon (D, Hanover)
50	Milz, David (R, Derry)
49	Dumais, Russell (R, Gilford)
48	Schultz, Kristina (D, Concord)
48	Nutting-Wong, Allison (D, Nashua)
47	Phinney, Brandon (R, Rochester)
46	Verville, Kevin (R, Deerfield)
45	Tenczar, Jeffrey (R, Pelham)
43	True, Chris (R, Sandown)
43	Freitas, Mary (D, Manchester)
43	Bordes, Mike (R, Laconia)
43	St. Clair, Charlie (D, Laconia)
42	Gibbs, Merryl (D, Concord)
42	Foote, Charles (R, Derry)
41	Wolf, Dan (R, Newbury)
41	Beaudoin, Richard (R, Gilford)
40	Schamberg, Thomas (D, Wilmot)
38	Proulx, Mark (R, Manchester)
38	Read, Ellen (D, Newmarket)
38	Jeudy, Jean (D, Manchester)
38	Santonastaso, Matthew (R, Rindge)
38	Hicks, Matthew (D, Concord)
37	Durkin, Sean (R, Northumberland)
36	Ming, Ben (D, Hollis)
35	Fedolfi, Jim (R, Hillsborough)
34	Hamer, Heidi (D, Manchester)
33	Smart, Lisa (R, Meredith)
33	Thackston, Dick (R, Troy)
33	Smith, Geoffrey (D, Dover)
31	MacKenzie, Mark (D, Manchester)
31	Khan, Aboul (R, Seabrook)
31	Harvey, Cathryn (D, Spofford)
31	Bay, Luz (D, Dover)
30	Boehm, Ralph (R, Litchfield)
30	Prout, Andrew (R, Hudson)
30	Bradley, Amy (D, Manchester)
29	McCarter, Nikki (R, Belmont)
29	Howard, Molly (D, Hancock)
29	Vandecasteele, Susan (R, Salem)
29	Sullivan, Jared (D, Concord)
28	Jack, Martin (D, Nashua)
28	Mooney, Maureen (R, Merrimack)
28	Andrus, Louise (R, Salisbury)
27	Baroody, Benjamin (D, Manchester)
27	Roy, Terry (R, Deerfield)
26	Pedersen, Michael (D, Nashua)
26	Kenny, Catherine (R, Hudson)
25	McConkey, Mark (R, Freedom)
25	McLean, Mark (R, Manchester)
25	Gould, Sherry (D, Concord)
25	Vallone, Mark (D, Epping)
24	Moffett, Michael (R, Loudon)
24	Conlin, Bill (D, Dover)
24	Dolan, Tom (R, Londonderry)
23	Hunt, John (R, Rindge)
23	Gerhard, Jason (R, Northfield)
23	Lloyd, Christal (D, Concord)
23	Seibert, Christine (D, Manchester)
22	Packard, Sherman (R, Londonderry)
22	Brown, Carroll (R, Bristol)
21	Herbert, Christopher (D, Manchester)
21	Sykes, George (D, Lebanon)
21	Hobson, Deb (R, East Kingston)
20	Leishman, Peter (D, Peterborough)
20	Long, Patrick (D, Manchester)
20	Ouellet, Mike (R, Colebrook)
20	Morton, Jennifer (D, Amherst)
19	Sellers, John (R, Bristol)
19	Connor, James (R, Rochester)
18	Plamondon, Marc (D, Nashua)
18	Turcotte, Len (R, Barrington)
17	Carey, Lorrie (D, Boscawen)
17	Prudhomme-O’Brien, Katherine (R, Derry)
17	Leavitt, John (R, Hooksett)
17	Janigian, John (R, Salem)
17	Toll, Amanda (D, Keene)
16	Hoell, J.R. (R, Dunbarton)
16	Mangipudi, Latha (D, Nashua)
16	Reid, Karen (R, Deering)
16	Davis, Fred (D, Nashua)
16	Ankarberg, Aidan (R, Rochester)
16	Nutting, Zachary (R, Winchester)
15	Smith, Steven (R, Charlestown)
15	Bernardy, JD (R, South Hampton)
15	Muirhead, Russell (D, Hanover)
15	Berry, Ross (R, Manchester)
14	DeSimone, Debra (R, Atkinson)
14	Doucette, Fred (R, Salem)
14	Soucy, Timothy (D, Concord)
14	Spillane, James (R, Deerfield)
14	Wheeler, Jonah (D, Peterborough)
13	Howard, Heath (D, Strafford)
13	Bickford, David (R, New Durham)
13	Cascadden, Corinne (D, Berlin)
13	Devine, Shelley (D, Concord)
13	Gorski, Ted (R, Bedford)
13	Pearson, Stephen (R, Derry)
12	Hynes, Dan (I, Bedford)
11	Goley, Jeffrey (D, Manchester)
11	Eaton, Daniel (D, Stoddard)
11	Murray, Kate (D, New Castle)
11	Renzullo, Andrew (R, Hudson)
11	Cambrils, Jose (R, Loudon)
11	Beauchemin, Paige (D, Concord)
10	Belcher, Mike (R, Wakefield)
10	Ward, Gerald (D, Portsmouth)
10	McMahon, Charles (R, Windham)
10	Comtois, Barbara (R, Center Barnstead)
10	Cordelli, Glenn (R, Tuftonboro)
10	Cushman, Leah (R, Weare)
10	Polozov, Yury (R, Hooksett)
10	Murray, Alissandra (D, Manchester)
10	Quaratiello, Arlene (R, Atkinson)
9	Ulery, Jordan (R, Hudson)
9	Sweeney, Joe (R, Salem)
9	Terry, Paul (R, Alton)
9	Peternel, Katy (R, Wolfeboro)
9	Kuttab, Katelyn (R, Windham)
9	Lane, Connie (D, Concord)
8	Smith, Marjorie (D, Durham)
8	Katsakiores, Phyllis (R, Derry)
8	Osborne, Jason (R, Auburn)
8	Healey, Robert (R, Merrimack)
8	Veilleux, Daniel (D, Amherst)
8	Leapley, Nicole (D, Manchester)
8	Coker, Matthew (R, Meredith)
8	Perez, Kristine (R, Londonderry)
8	Lynn, Bob (R, Windham)
8	Creighton, Jim (R, Antrim)
8	Cannon, Gerri (D, Somersworth)
7	Abare, Kimberly (R, Pelham)
7	MacKay, James (D, Concord)
7	Beaulieu, Jane (D, Manchester)
7	DiSilvestro, Linda (D, Manchester)
7	Walsh, Thomas (R, Hooksett)
7	Alexander, Joe (R, Goffstown)
7	King, Bill (R, Milford)
7	Woodcock, Stephen (D, Center Conway)
7	Newell, Jodi (D, Keene)
7	Turcotte, Alisson (D, Allenstown)
6	Myler, Mel (D, Contoocook)
6	Tripp, Richard (R, Derry)
6	Layon, Erica (R, Derry)
6	Grossman, Gaby (D, Exeter)
5	Sytek, John (R, Salem)
5	Lascelles, Richard (R, Litchfield)
5	Malloy, Dennis (D, Greenland)
5	Janvrin, Jason (R, Seabrook)
5	Plett, Fred (R, Goffstown)
5	Wherry, Robert (R, Hudson)
5	Harvey-Bolia, Juliet (R, Tilton)
5	Fellows, Sallie (D, Holderness)
5	Maggiore, Jim (D, North Hampton)
5	Rochefort, David (R, Littleton)
4	Notter, Jeanine (R, Merrimack)
4	Potucek, John (R, Derry)
4	Harrington, Michael (R, Strafford)
4	Kelley, Eamon (D, Berlin)
4	Simon, Matthew (R, Littleton)
4	Gallager, Eric (D, Concord)
4	Grill, Jessica (D, Concord)
4	Soti, Julius (R, Windham)
4	Rhodes, Jennifer (R, Winchester)
4	Rich, Cecilia (D, Somersworth)
4	Harb, Robert (R, Plaistow)
4	Levesque, Cassandra  (D, Barrington)
4	Jones, Philip (D, Keene)
3	Edwards, Jess (R, Auburn)
3	Massimilla, Linda (D, Littleton)
3	Seaworth, Brian (R, Pembroke)
3	Horgan, James (R, Farmington)
3	Ploszaj, Tom (R, Center Harbor)
3	See, Alvin (R, Loudon)
3	Knab, Allison (D, Stratham)
3	Walsh, Lilli (R, Hampstead)
3	Potenza, Kelley (R, Rochester)
3	Tellez, Trinidad (D, Hooksett)
3	Raymond, Heather (D, Nashua)
3	Gregg, Alicia (D, Concord)
3	Burroughs, Anita (D, Glen)
3	Chretien, Jacqueline (D, Manchester)
3	Paige, Mark (D, Concord)
3	Kenney, Cam (D, Durham)
3	McWilliams, Rebecca (D, Concord)
2	Foxx, Loren (D, Bedford)
2	Wall, Janet (D, Madbury)
2	Horrigan, Timothy (D, Durham)
2	Ammon, Keith (R, New Boston)
2	Seidel, Sheila (R, Goffstown)
2	Selig, Loren (D, Durham)
2	Granger, Michael (R, Milton)
2	Lovett, Peter (D, Concord)
2	Morse, Corinne (D, Canaan)
2	Palmer, William (D, Cornish)
2	Stavis, Laurel (D, West Lebanon)
2	Nutter-Upham, Frances (D, Nashua)
2	McAleer, Chris (D, Jackson)
2	Merchant, Gary (D, Claremont)
2	Grote, Jaci (D, Rye)
2	Aylward, Deborah (R, Danbury)
1	Ebel, Karen (D, New London)
1	Southworth, Thomas (D, Dover)
1	Cahill, Michael (D, Newmarket)
1	Stone, Jonathan (R, Claremont)
1	Stapleton, Walter (R, Claremont)
1	DiLorenzo, Charlotte (D, Newmarket)
1	Lanza, Judi (D, Goffstown)
1	Turer, Eric (D, Brentwood)
1	McGuire, Carol (R, Epsom)
1	Muns, Chris (D, Hampton)
1	Harriott-Gathright, Linda (D, Nashua)
1	Fracht, David (D, Enfield)
1	Ladd, Rick (R, Haverhill)
1	Wallner, Mary Jane (D, Concord)
1	Shurtleff, Steve (D, Penacook)
1	Wallace, Scott (R, Danville)
1	King, Seth (R, Whitefield)
1	McGhee, Kat (D, Hollis)
1	Edgar, Michael (D, Hampton)
1	Boyd, Bill (R, Merrimack)
1	Newman, Sue (D, Nashua)
1	Post, Lisa (R, Lyndeborough)
1	Smith, Juliet (D, Manchester)
1	Aures, Cyril (R, Chichester)
1	Porcelli, Susan (R, Hampton Falls)
1	Spier, Carry (D, Nashua)
1	Roesener, James (D, Concord)
1	Balboni, Peggy (D, Rye Beach)
1	Thomas, Wendy (D, Merrimack)
1	MacDonald, John (R, Wolfeboro)
1	Hamblet, Joan (D, Portsmouth)
1	Parshall, Lucius (D, Marlborough)
1	Davis, Arnold (R, Milan)
1	Kofalt, Jim (R, Wilton)
1	Kelley, Diane (R, Temple)
1	Noble, Kristin (R, Bedford)
1	Pratt, Kevin (R, Raymond)
1	Corcoran, Travis (R, Weare)
1	Paige, David (D, Concord)
1	Mandelbaum, Jennifer (D, Portsmouth)

..

The post NH House Attendance Finale: 50 “Perfect” Republicans and The Whole House (6 of The Top Ten Worst Were Dems) appeared first on Granite Grok.

In today’s digital landscape, finding top-notch images for your projects can be quite the challenge. Fortunately, Pikwizard steps in with an extensive collection of free photos, simplifying your search for the perfect visuals. Featuring an intuitive interface and a wide array of images, Pikwizard swiftly becomes an indispensable resource for anyone needing free stock photos.

Pikwizard stands out in the crowded stock photo market by offering a vast array of free photos without requiring attribution. This advantage is substantial for bloggers, designers, marketers, and others who need high-quality images without the complexities of licensing fees or usage restrictions.

A Vast Library of High-Quality Free Photos

Pikwizard excels with its expansive and continually growing library of free stock photos. Whether you’re searching for images of nature, technology, people, or abstract concepts, Pikwizard has a diverse selection. The platform features over a million images, ensuring that you can always find the perfect photo to enhance your content.

The variety in Pikwizard’s photo collection is impressive. It ranges from candid snapshots to meticulously staged photos, allowing you to match the tone and style of any project. This level of variety is uncommon among free stock photo sites, making Pikwizard a uniquely valuable resource.

Seamless Search and Navigation

Browsing through Pikwizard’s extensive collection is a seamless experience, thanks to its intuitive and user-friendly interface. The website is designed to make locating the right image as straightforward as possible. You can search for specific keywords, explore popular categories, or delve into curated collections that showcase some of the best images available.

The search functionality is comprehensive, allowing you to filter results by orientation, color, and even the presence of people. This helps you quickly and efficiently find exactly what you need. Moreover, Pikwizard’s AI-powered suggestions can introduce you to images you might not have considered, broadening your creative horizons.

High-Resolution Images for Professional Use

A key advantage of using Pikwizard is the high resolution of its images. Unlike some other free stock photo sites that offer lower resolution versions, Pikwizard provides high-quality images that are suitable for both web and print use. This makes it an ideal choice for a wide range of applications, from social media posts and blog articles to marketing materials and website design.

High-resolution images are essential for maintaining a professional look in your projects. Blurry or pixelated images can diminish the overall quality and credibility of your content. With Pikwizard, you can trust that the photos you download will appear sharp and professional, regardless of their use.

No Attribution Required

One of the most attractive features of Pikwizard is that it offers free photos without requiring attribution. While crediting the photographer or the platform is always appreciated, it is not mandatory. This is a significant benefit for users who need to quickly source images without worrying about attribution rules.

This freedom allows you to use Pikwizard’s photos in commercial projects, presentations, advertisements, and more without any legal concerns. It simplifies the process of integrating visuals into your work, letting you focus on creativity and content rather than administrative details.

Regular Updates and Fresh Content

Pikwizard continually updates its library with new photos, ensuring that users always have access to fresh and relevant content. This commitment to regularly adding new images keeps the platform dynamic and ensures that you can find the latest trends and styles in photography.

Keeping up with current trends is vital for maintaining a modern and engaging online presence. By using Pikwizard, you can easily access new and trendy images that resonate with your audience and keep your content looking fresh and appealing.

Perfect for a Variety of Users

Whether you are a blogger, web designer, marketer, or educator, Pikwizard’s extensive collection of free stock photos is an invaluable resource. The platform’s high-quality images and easy-to-use interface make it suitable for both personal and professional use. Its vast and varied library ensures that you can find images that match your specific needs and creative vision.

For educators and students, Pikwizard offers an excellent repository of images for presentations, reports, and projects. Marketers and advertisers can leverage the high-resolution photos to create compelling campaigns that capture attention. Bloggers and content creators will appreciate the diverse and stylish images that can enhance their articles and social media posts.

Conclusion

In summary, Pikwizard is a premier platform for anyone in need of free stock photos. Its extensive library, user-friendly interface, high-resolution images, and no-attribution policy make it an unparalleled resource for sourcing high-quality visuals. Whether you’re working on a blog post, a marketing campaign, or a presentation, Pikwizard has the perfect image to meet your needs.

Save time and avoid the hassle of subpar photo collections or attribution requirements. Embrace the ease and quality that Pikwizard offers, and elevate your projects with stunning visuals that captivate and engage your audience.

The post Pikwizard: Your Premier Destination for Free Stock Photos appeared first on Granite Grok.

El Salvadore has a massive prison system with the latest facility, CECOT, which is called a Super Jail, opened in 2023. The Terrorism Confinement Center currently holds 12,000 of the worst criminals and gang members in El Salvadore. The current President of El Salvadore, Nayib Bukele, is one of the most popular heads of state in the world and has earned that popularity by making good on his promise to curb gang control and violence. He has had help in his efforts from an unlikely source.

Some American Democrats, specifically Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, have been critical of the prison system in El Salvadore and have urged Bukele to ease the confinement and treatment of the incarcerated gang members. Of course, our feckless President and his sidekick never considered the consequences of their suggestions. Some of the released inmates traveled north to escape the potential of returning to CECOT and have made their way across our border and are now wreaking havoc on American soil.

The Biden administration claims that every illegal migrant is vetted before release into America, but we know that is a lie. Just last week there were eight illegals apprehended in the states that were on the terrorist watch list and members of ISIS. Who is doing the vetting? Maybe Kamala, herself. The news Saturday was clear evidence of the danger everyone of us is in, thanks to Joe Biden.

A fugitive wanted in El Salvador in the killing of a young woman was arrested in the murder last year of a Maryland hiker, authorities said Saturday. The suspect, Victor Antonio Martinez-Hernandez, 23, was arrested in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at about 11:30 p.m. Friday, Harford County, Maryland, Sheriff Jeff Gahler said at a news conference.

Rachel Morin’s body was discovered at Ma and Pa Trail in Bel Air, Maryland, on Aug. 6, 2023, the day after her boyfriend reported her missing, authorities said. The sheriff previously indicated she may have been raped and murdered in the hour or two before sunset on Aug. 5.

DNA found at the Morin scene was linked to a home invasion in LA in early 2023 and eventually led authorities to the suspect’s family in El Salvadore. The suspect’s travel and criminal history in America shows how easily these illegals can traverse this country, putting us all at risk. This crisis is not a border issue, as we are all border states in the new Biden America.

The President has not commented about this case as he was in Italy giving our money the Ukraine in a new 10-year agreement. Then he cut his visit to Italy to attend a campaign fund raising event with George Clooney and Julia Roberts in Los Angeles. Maybe when Joe is done counting the $25 million raised, he will tell the Morin children how sorry he is that he has damaged our country and destroyed their family. It will ring hollow, and he will probably forget their name. Five children lost their Mom thanks to Joe Biden’s failed policy. What family will be next?

The post Joe Has Made El Salvador The Safest In Hemisphere appeared first on Granite Grok.

Effective management of residential and mixed-use real estate in New York presents unique challenges and opportunities. As the urban landscape evolves, property managers must navigate a complex array of responsibilities to maintain and enhance property value.

This article delves into the key components and best practices for efficient real estate management, focusing on the dynamic market of New York.

Definition of Residential and Mixed-Use Real Estate in New York

Residential and mixed-use real estate properties are integral to New York’s urban fabric. Residential properties are solely dedicated to living spaces, while mixed-use properties combine residential, commercial, and sometimes industrial spaces within a single development. This blend creates vibrant communities but also adds layers of complexity to property management.

What Constitutes Mixed-Use Real Estate?

Mixed-use developments typically include:

• Residential Units: Apartments, condos, or single-family homes.
• Commercial Spaces: Retail stores, offices, and restaurants.
• Amenities: Gyms, parks, and recreational areas.
• Public Spaces: Areas accessible to the community, like plazas or public transportation hubs.

Benefits of Mixed-Use Properties

• Community Building: Mixed-use properties foster a sense of community by integrating various spaces that cater to daily needs.
• Economic Growth: These developments contribute to economic activity by supporting local businesses.
• Convenience: Residents benefit from having amenities and services within walking distance.

Key Components of Effective Mixed-Use Property Management

Managing mixed-use properties effectively requires a holistic approach that balances the needs of residential and commercial tenants. Key components include:

Comprehensive Financial Management

Financial oversight is crucial in ensuring profitability and sustainability. This involves:

• Budget Preparation and Implementation: Detailed budgeting helps forecast expenses and revenue, ensuring financial stability.
• Fee Collections: Efficiently collecting rents and other fees to maintain cash flow.
• Legal Compliance: Ensuring all financial practices adhere to local, state, and federal regulations.

Property Maintenance and Supervision

Maintaining the property’s physical condition is vital for tenant satisfaction and property value. This includes:

• Regular Inspections: Conducting weekly site visits to identify and address maintenance issues promptly.
• Contractor Oversight: Managing relationships with contractors and vendors to ensure quality work and cost-efficiency.
• Compliance with Building Codes: Ensuring the property meets all safety and regulatory standards.

Effective Leasing Strategies

Leasing strategies must cater to both residential and commercial tenants, involving:

• Marketing: Utilizing targeted marketing strategies to attract and retain tenants.
• Lease Negotiations: Crafting lease agreements that are fair and beneficial to both parties.
• Tenant Screening: Implementing thorough screening processes to ensure reliable tenants.

Resident and Tenant Relations

Building positive relationships with tenants is essential for a harmonious living and working environment. This involves:

• Communication: Maintaining open and transparent communication channels.
• Complaint Resolution: Addressing resident complaints promptly and effectively.
• Community Engagement: Organizing events and activities to foster a sense of community.

Problems with Maintenance, Leasing, Financial Planning, etc.

Managing mixed-use properties comes with its set of challenges. Identifying and addressing these issues is crucial for efficient property management.

Maintenance Challenges

• Diverse Needs: Balancing the maintenance needs of both residential and commercial spaces.
• Resource Allocation: Ensuring that maintenance resources are adequately distributed.

Leasing Issues

• High Turnover: Managing tenant turnover, which can be higher in mixed-use properties.
• Market Fluctuations: Adapting to changes in the real estate market that affect leasing terms and rates.

Financial Planning Complications

• Budgeting: Creating accurate budgets that reflect the unique demands of mixed-use properties.
• Revenue Management: Balancing income from different sources and ensuring steady cash flow.

By addressing these challenges with strategic planning and comprehensive management practices, property managers can significantly improve the efficiency and profitability of residential and mixed-use real estate in New York.

The post Boost Your Real Estate Management Efficiency in NYC appeared first on Granite Grok.

Regular maintenance and timely repairs are crucial to ensuring your gutters function effectively, protecting  foundation, walls, and roof of your home from water damage. However, they can develop issues over time that necessitate repair.

1. Watch out for leaks from the gutter, especially from gutter seam or joints. Your gutter could get damaged from falling branches, ladders, or tools, or rust over time. Also, either temperature fluctuations can cause gutters to expand and contract, leading to joint separation, or the sealant used in joints can simply deteriorate over time. Specialists check the gutter for signs of rust or damage and do the necessary renovation. If needed, they can  install seamless gutters or apply new sealant to separated joints, depending on the situation.

2. If the water spills over during moderate rainfall or it pools in sections of gutters, it might be the sign of an improper gutter slope, either from incorrect gutter installation or because of house settling over time. It is fixable: call a professional https://happywindowcleaners.ca/services/gutter-repair/ to ensure proper installation, and ask them to adjust the hangers and brackets to create the proper slope.

3. Sagged gutters or water spilling over the sides of the gutters during rain can signalize about gutter clogging. With lack of maintenance the debris, such as leaves, twigs and dirt can accumulate in gutters, obstructing water flow. Cleaning the gutter regularly usually resolves the problem, and gutter guards installation helps to accumulate less debris.

4. Check out downspouts regularly, as they can become detached, bent or crushed. Also, if water pools around the foundation, it can also be a sign of damaged downspouts. Usually the cause of damage is impact or severe weather, but you should also look for debris which causes water backup. If the downspouts are indeed damaged, secure loose downspouts and replace damaged sections.

These are the common issues that can be addressed through regular inspections, cleaning, and using high-quality materials and professional installation services. Taking proactive steps can extend the life of your gutter system and maintain the integrity of your home’s structure.

The post 4 Signs That Your Gutter Needs Repair appeared first on Granite Grok.

A woke-judge in Florida invoked the Left’s woke-constitution to strike down a law protecting children from “gender-affirming” surgery. Not surprisingly, Woke-Communist Alissandra Murray celebrated (see retweet) below. The celebration will be short-lived because, as Governor DeSantis explains, the 11th Cir sit Court of Appeals has already upheld a virtually identical law.

The post Night Cap: Alissandra Murray Celebrates Child Abuse appeared first on Granite Grok.

While Climate Cultists pray for devastation – as if it will justify their faith in an irrefutable hypothesis – the lack of tropical depressions has been superseded by other bad news for climateers. New Zealand, for example, will no longer tax cow farts to save the planet.

WELLINGTON, June 11 (Reuters) – New Zealand on Tuesday ended a plan to put a price on agricultural emissions including methane produced by belching sheep and cattle, relenting to farmer pressure that the plan would make their business unprofitable.

The conservative government said in a statement it would establish a Pastoral Sector Group with representatives from the agricultural sector to find other ways to reduce biogenic methane.

The urge to get excited about a reversal of cultish devotion should be quelled. New Zealand is still in thrall and raptured to the agenda. But the less liberal government (it’s far from conservative) promised farmers it would backtrack agricultural emissions policy to get elected. It got elected and kept the promise but is still committed (sadly not to a mental institution) to the goal of reducing emissions in pursuit of an economy and lifestyle-destroying lie.

In other news, we’ve had a few reports about private interests propping up news desks that advance the Climate Cult dogma. The depth of this paid activist peddled as news is staggering.

Over the last 20 years the tax-efficient billionaire foundations have stepped into the funding gaps left by declining circulation and advertising sales across mainstream media. It is noted by the EJN that journalists “overwhelmingly agreed” that support from external funding organisations was “essential” to enabling their climate and environmental reporting. Any journalist can apply to be a member of the EJN, and the “primary benefit” is said to be access to grant funding for stories and “training opportunities.” The operation claims over 25,000 members in 200 countries.

The list of EJN funders is a long one and includes many well-known supporters of climate fear-mongering work. Included is the European Climate Foundation, heavily supported by Michael Bloomberg and Extinction Rebellion paymaster Sir Christopher Hohn. Other supporters include Tides, Gulbenkian, Oak, Packard, Climate Justice Resilience, MacArthur and Rockefeller. Helping out with taxpayer money are political and government organisations including the United Nations and the British Foreign Office.

Climate Journalism is fully funded by interested billionaire activists who control messaging and use their billions to leverage narratives and priorities. It’s not new, but the scope of it might set off some alarms. Here’s their report.

Finally, tropical depressions. We are three weeks into Hurricane season, and we have seen two tropical depressions. One wandered off into the Atlantic, and the other could reach tropical storm/cyclone status in the next 48 hours (60+ percent chance).

Whether it gets there or not, predictions show lots of rain headed to NE Mexico and the Teas Gulf coast.

NOAA potential rainfall amount from Tropical Storm One (TC1)

That’s 8-12 inches. Nothing compared to what South Florida got recently, but we’ll see how this develops over the next few days.

Update: We have a new projected storm track that takes TS1 into Mexico and not the Continental US.

The post Climate Depressions, Tropical and Otherwise [Updated] appeared first on Granite Grok.

Now that filing time is over, it appears that Lily Tang Williams has 12 opponents in the September 10 primary for Annie Kuster’s seat.

Most of them are unknowns and it’s my opinion that the only serious threat is Vikram.  Unlike the executive council seat being vacated by Ted Gatsas, I’m not going to waste energy attacking all of them individually, but there are two exceptions.  Vikram certainly deserves an article on why to not vote for him, but I hope to see one written by someone with skills superior to mine.  The other happens to be a late arrival that’s not only a Nashua local, but she lives in Ward 2.

“Who is Elenore Casey Crane?”

That’s the question and I’m here to answer that.  Adam Sexton has introduced her as a former rep, but makes no mention of how long the Newmans, along with one or more of their ilk, have had a stranglehold on Ward 2 over the past several election cycles.  I’m going to surmise that Elenore Casey Crane(ECC) is one of the vestiges of the Tea Party Movement from long ago.  While her dates of rep time in office is unconfirmed at this time, it appears that she was the 2013 opponent of our mutual Alderman, Richard Dowd.

Alderman Dowd did not have an opponent in 2015 or 2017, according to the records I viewed, and had viable opponents in 2019 and 2021, as I noted here.

What was ECC doing all that time?  Supposedly working some gig for Councilor Kenney, who represents the parts of NH furthest from Nashua, but to that I say, “yeah, whatever.”  She certainly was not a rep candidate in the past 2 elections because I was recruited to fall on that sword in 2020 and came back for a 2nd helping in 2022 just to be a good “team player” and fill the hole in the slate.  More on being a team player in a moment.  I filed my own candidacy against Alderman Dowd on the last day of filing time last year because neither of his previous two opponents nor ECC wanted to step up and do it.  To the previous opponents, I say “fair enough,” as they both had a full plate of responsibilities, both public and private.  ECC was certainly free to decide whether or not to run for office just like anyone else, but waffling until the last minute is not being a team player.  “But wait, there’s more,” one often hears in those late night infomercials.

The night before the last day of filing time was the NRCC monthly meeting and no higher office candidates had RSVPed to stump.  ECC waltzed into the ballroom, quite late I should add, with an “I have arrived” attitude.  Former Rep Pete Silva, the NRCC chair, was gracious enough to give her a few minutes of mic time at the end and the stump speech was very lackluster.  She implemented some name dropping that included Councilor Kenney and former Ward 1 Rep Tom Lanzara and then went into full blown attack mode without even saying “Lily Tang Williams” or “Colorado.”  ECC found it necessary to cite the length of residency required to be eligible for a senate run, but most voters who show up for a NH primary already know that 2024 is one of every 6 years without a senatorial race in Washington.  She also didn’t mention how active Lily has been over the past 2 years since her primary loss to Burns.  She’s been fundraising

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and building recognition by way of opportunities that are not exclusively political.  You, the reader and the voter, have opportunities to ask her about that at her next meet and greet in nearby Hollis on Monday June 17, which is open to the public.

I will finish by going back to the team player thing.  While I’ll be clear that I was in no way entitled to ECC’s support as a candidate for alderman or as a two time rep candidate, I find it interesting that she never even reached out to me or even greeted me at the polls.  Maybe she secretly supports Alderman Dowd and the Newmans.  Hopefully not.  Whether or not you, the reader, vote in Ward 2, I’m here to say that ECC is trying to siphon votes off of Lily when the one she should be attacking in the primary race is Vikram.

The post Who is Elenore Casey Crane? appeared first on Granite Grok.

So, Terry Roy has responded, on his X, to “Useful Idiot” and “Useful Idiot” Continued … Terry Roy Endorses Alissandra Murray. Roy’s response is, in a word, incoherent. He claims that I am a Free-Stater/Libertarian, which is both funny and sad, as it reveals the extent of Roy’s ignorance.

Roy also compares the relationship between himself and his “friend” Alissandra Murray to Ronald Reagan and Tip O’Neil. Grandiosity much? What he does NOT do is walk back in the slightest his ENDORSEMENT of Woke-Communist Alissandra Murray.

Here is Roy’s response. After which, I will have a few things to say.

First of all, note the Stockholm-syndrome. Roy has adopted the language of the Left. Alissandra Murray and her ilk are “progressives” … the adjective they choose to describe themselves. People who believe that they can turn men into women and women into men, that they can control the weather, that people with white-skin carry an “oppressor” gene are religious-fanatics, extremists, lunatics, etc.. Yet Roy chooses to call these people “progressives.” Stockholm-syndrome.

Note also how Roy uses the language of the Left to attack Republicans. Anyone not marching in goose-step with Roy is an “anarchist libertarian” or a free-stater. Stockholm-syndrome.

And note how Roy calls disagreeing with him “hate,” just like “his friend” Alissandra Murray does. Expecting Roy to not serve as a campaign prop for Murray, expecting him to endorse and help elect Republicans rather than endorsing Murray is demanding that he “hate” Murray. Stockholm-syndrome.

But perhaps what is most notable about Roy’s response is that he does NOT walk back in the slightest his endorsement of Alissandra Murray. These are HIS words. Not my words; his words. A full-throated endorsement of Murray:

IF I’M LUCKY EOUGH TO BE CHAIR AGAIN AND HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT IT, YOU & REPRESENTATIVE WHEELER WILL BE RIGHT BACK ON THIS COMMITTEE …

A few more observations.

It is 2024, not 1980. The world is different. America is different. And the Democrat Party of 2024 bears no resemblance to the Democrat Party of Tip O’Neill. Tip O’Neill, Democrat Speaker of the House when Reagan was elected, was not a Woke-Communist. Tip O’Neill would not be welcome in today’s Democrat Party. For Roy to equate Alissandra Murray and today’s Woke-Communists with Tip is as complete a rewrite of history as the 1619-project that the Woke-Communists want taught in schools.

You cannot be simultaneously against “gender-affirming” medical care … that lovely euphemism for child-mutilation … and for the reelection of Alissandra Murray and other Woke-Communists who support that “gender-affirming” medical care. The same is true for all of the other issues that divide us. Yet Roy seeks to have it both ways.

Finally, the term “useful idiot” refers to someone who is useful to the Left. This, like so much else, seems beyond Roy’s grasp. Ronald Reagan was NOT a useful idiot. Terry Roy is no Ronald Reagan.

 

The post Terry Roy … It’s Not 1980, And You Are No Ronald Reagan (Useful Idiot – Part 3) appeared first on Granite Grok.