On Saturday, NewsWars dropped a story about an interview with Alan Dana with US Freedom Flyers, whose mission is “to promote informed consent and defend individual medical freedom through preserving citizen’s rights to work and travel without governmental obstruction.”

Related: Did a Record Number of Vaccinated Airline Pilots Drop Dead in 2021?

The group has been “getting calls now from wealthy businessmen and companies to fly their executives around on business jets with unvaccinated crew.”

 

“They get the luxury of being able to choose, because there are still a large amount of crew available in the United States who are not vaccinated because the companies they work for didn’t mandate it.”

“These wealthy businessmen are requiring unvaccinated crew on their business trips,” Dana added. “Passengers on an airline who bought a ticket don’t have that luxury.”

 

If you were looking for another safety signal in the noise, that one seems rather loud. I’m also wondering if the Jet-setting, WEF (ish) jab-them-all crowd is flying air-mRNA in their Jet Streams or are their pilots’ pure bloods’?

 

Highly vaccinated and boosted, Japan is suffering from a surge in deaths.

 

Japanese over-65s have done their best to reduce Japan’s 612-million-dose stockpile of mRNA jabs, with third, fourth and fifth jab rates of 91%, 82.5%, and 56%, respectively. But unfortunately, Japan has started 2023 by reporting its highest ever daily Covid death tolls. During the booster era starting in early 2022, each wave has been noticeably higher than the last.

And what do the experts have to say? “The cause of the rise in Covid deaths is hard to explain.” And, “There’s a lot we don’t know, and we don’t have evidence.”

Among these heavily dosed and deceased, “The direct cause of death is often heart failure or kidney disease, and he said that “thorough analysis is needed.”

You’d best get right on that, then.

 

New York State Health Care Workers Score a Yuge Win in Court! (Emphasis Mine.)

 

In a groundbreaking decision filed today, NY State (NYS) Supreme Court Judge Gerard Neri held that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for healthcare workers is now “null, void, and of no effect.” The court held that the NYS Dept. of Health lacked the authority to impose such a mandate as this power is reserved to the state legislature. Furthermore, the court found that the mandate was “arbitrary and capricious” as COVID-19 vaccines do not stop transmission, vitiating any rational basis for a mandate.

 

One More: The Last Refuge got a massive response to a request for comments on why readers did not get the vaccine. You can surf the thousands of them here, but I wanted to share part of just one.

 

[I]nstead of adding my own story to the thread, which would only echo hundreds of others, I’ve been reading through the entries, looking for a pattern. Allowing that the Treehouse community isn’t a random sample, older and more politically conservative than average, I looked to see if thousands of testimonies might reveal something about the resistant personality.

I would divide the respondents into two groups. The first group didn’t want the vaccine because it was linked to abortion or because they were opposed to all vaccines. Even if the vaccine had been safe and effective, they would never have taken it. People in the second group had been generally open to vaccination. Yet in this case, they did not go along. What made them back away in this one instance and resist in the face of strong social pressure?

The theme that runs through the responses is that the resistant sensed something was wrong early on, a gut feeling, a ‘spidy-sense.’ The resistant would thus seem to be ‘N” types, high in intuition. Unlike people who accepted the advice of authority figures, instinct caused them to look into the matter more deeply, to compare various medical opinions, evidence of all types. This indicates that intellectual curiosity and resistance to authority, i.e. high creativity, is a second commonality.

The third hurdle was that the non-jabbed resisted emotional blackmail, the threat that they would disappoint a spouse, be banned from seeing grandchildren, or lose friends. The resistant are thus thinkers rather than feelers. A fourth commonality was courage; some people were willing to risk security, to lose a high paying job, to forfeit a career, to postpone college; others caved at that point. The resistant are more likely to be risk-takers, which again correlates with high creativity.

 

I’m not sure I’d agree with all of it, but not being an anti-vaxxer, I’d agree that resistance to emotional blackmail hit the nail on the head.

 

The post Demand Spike for Unvaxxed Pilots From Private Jet Owners (And other COVID Vaxx News) appeared first on Granite Grok.

A new driveway can be a big expense if you opt for something labour-intensive like block paving. But even if you only have a concrete driveway, it makes sense to take care of it.

After all, a well-maintained driveway can add kerb appeal when the time comes to sell and be less likely to develop cracks and holes that send Great Aunt Agnes straight to A&E.

Maintenance needs will vary according to the type of driveway you have, but some must-do tasks are essential. Read on for a useful guide to keeping your driveway in tip-top condition.

Block Paved Driveways

A block paved driveway will look amazing when it is first laid, but in time, without due care and attention, block paving is prone to weeds. If left unchecked, weeds and grass growing will damage the mortar and lift the blocks, which leads to further damage.

Always remove weeds and grass before they take root. Pull up by hand or use a weed-killer preparation. Keep your driveway swept so soil, leave debris, and dirt doesn’t collect in between the blocks, as this will create the perfect growing environment for hardy weeds.

Be careful if you use a pressure washer to clean your drive. Hot water and a stiff brush are better, but even that may damage or loosen blocks.

If there are stains, avoid using chemical stain removal solutions, as they could damage and discolour the stone. Speak to a driveways Birmingham expert for advice before you tackle any problems with your block paved driveway or are considering replacing it.

Concrete Driveways

Concrete is a popular material for driveways as it is often cheaper. When done as a professional installation, concrete can look attractive, but proper maintenance is key. It is also crucial to seal a concrete driveway, to prevent damage and excessive wear and tear. Even if you haven’t previously sealed your concrete driveway, it isn’t too late. Clean the surface first and then apply the sealant. It should be reapplied every few years, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

Don’t use de-icer solutions on a concrete driveway, as they damage the surface. Salt will also cause damage. Instead, buy a bag of cheap cat litter and sprinkle this around. Sand is just as effective.

Always treat stains before they have a chance to soak in. Soak up greasy liquids using sand, cat litter, or sawdust. Pressure washing will remove most stains if done quickly enough.

If you spot any damage in the concrete, patch the area before it gets worse.

Gravel Driveways

Gravel is a cheap and cheerful driveway material, but weeds can be a problem. Rake over the gravel regularly and remove weeds. This will also prevent the gravel from becoming too uneven. Apply a weed-killing solution to make it harder for problem weeds like dandelions to take hold.

Look after your driveway and it will continue to do a great job, but if yours is looking well past its best, consider upgrading to a new driveway.

The post Essential Driveway Maintenance Tips appeared first on Granite Grok.

My “regular” formats are in 400+ million to 2 trillion years (rightmost column). And I rotate them.

Your’s?

(H/T Reddit)

The post Data Point – How Secure IS Your Password(s)? appeared first on Granite Grok.

With property prices higher than ever, it often makes more sense to renovate a home rather than upgrade to a new one. If your home is a good fit for you, but you’d like a bit of extra room or the layout doesn’t work as well as you’d like, a renovation project could save you money while still giving you the home of your dreams.

Decide What You Want from the Project

Only fools rush into home renovation projects. While it is easy to get excited about paint swatches, interior design, and home furnishings, it’s also easy to lose sight of what you are trying to achieve with the project.

Sit down with the family and discuss what you are hoping to gain by renovating some or all of the property. Do you need more living space? An extra bedroom? Or is the current décor hopelessly outdated and in need of a style refresh?

Make mood boards and spend time on sites like Houzz to see what inspires you and what turns you off. Speak to a Luxury Interior Designer in London if you think professional help is needed. An interior designer could come up with ideas you would never have considered or provide solutions to tricky layout problems.

Have a Budget and Stick to It

Any fan of Grand Designs will know common it is for people to blow their budget while renovating a property. It takes time and effort to manage all the many expenses and a lot of willpower to avoid being seduced by pretty designer furniture and stylish appliances.

Have a budget and stick to it. Don’t be tempted to spend more than you can afford. Build a contingency fund into the budget to allow for unexpected expenses, as something will inevitably come to light you haven’t planned for.

Make sure at least one person in your house is good with numbers and willing to manage the budget. Alternatively, hire a project manager to do it for you.

Be Prepared for the Disruption

Renovation projects are messy and cause a lot of disruption. Even when you think it will only take a few weeks, invariably, something goes wrong, materials are delayed, the weather is terrible, or a contractor lets you down. If you expect the worst, you don’t be disappointed!

Ideally, have somewhere else you can stay while the renovation project is taking place. Put everything out of the way in a garage or rooms unaffected by the work. Check with the contractors to make sure they are doing everything possible to minimise the mess, such as fixing plastic sheets over doorways and only using one entry point.

If you do have to live in the property while work is being carried out, be prepared to set up a temporary kitchen or ask a friend to look after your pets. It won’t be easy but there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Quality home renovations can add value and make a home more liveable. It’s a great idea to consider a renovation project if your existing home already ticks most boxes.

The post 3 Tips for Renovating Your Home This Year appeared first on Granite Grok.

All human groups live by codes of conduct and beliefs. The codes are far from uniform, either in context or formality. Yet they all serve the critical function of being a prescription of behaviors that enhance the welfare of the group and proscribe those that undermine it.

In tandem with the emergence of the code of conduct is the practice of rituals. While the code of conduct secures order within the group, rituals give it a sense of identity, essential for the solidarity of the “in-group” against the ever-present threats of the “out-group.”
Over time, the code of conduct and rituals merge, to various degrees, to serve the group. Some examples are religious ceremonies, secular observances, and a mixture of the two.

A code of conduct requires enforcement. The physically strong, and perhaps more cunning, emerge as group leaders and enforcers — Chiefs, Sheiks, Earls, Lords, and Kings are continuations of this line of authority. Yet all along there was a realization that authority or authorities with much greater powers transcend that of human beings. The ancient Greeks’ various gods and the pre-Islamic idolaters of the Arabian Peninsula represent this line of thinking.

Among some human groupings, the utilitarian value of prescriptions and proscriptions for the group evolved in the belief of opposing superhuman powers. Good things, such as bountiful rain, great harvests, and plentiful game, for instance, were seen as the offerings of the benevolent superhuman, while famine, earthquakes, plagues, and so forth were attributed to the actions of the malevolent superhuman. The Zoroastrians’ concept of Ahuramazda, the god of good, and Ahriman, the lord of evil, represents this line of belief.

At some point, monotheism appeared on the scene. The Abrahamic religions represent this line of development. One Supreme Being was posited as the all-powerful, all-everything author of the universe. It simplified things greatly. No need to supplicate many gods, or please one and antagonize another. This Supreme Being communicated with humans through intermediaries of his choosing, or so some claimed. And through these intermediaries, he prescribed laws and ordinances.

Obedience to his laws attracted his blessings and disobedience incurred his wrath, often administered by human agencies in this world, with more to come in the purported next world.

The God of the monotheist is a hands-on God. And Islam’s Allah is extremely hands-on. He leaves virtually no room for anything or anyone to do anything without his full knowledge and authorization.

Sigmund Freud

In more recent times, another form of evolution appeared on the scene. The work of Sigmund Freud represents this line of development. God was marginalized. God was reduced to a hypothetical father figure, a figment of man’s imagination, who would reward or punish his children depending on their actions. And the duality superhuman dual deity of Ahuramazda and Ahriman were personalized within each person. The Id, a version of Ahriman, was posited as representing the impulsive, the ungoverned by the code of conduct, the amoral, devoted exclusively to self-gratification. The Superego, a version of Ahuramazda, was invoked as the law-abiding, moral, and caring for others.

As I studied philosophy, and religion and delved more deeply into these subjects, I became deeply attracted to the inexhaustible treasure of Iran’s exquisite history, fine arts, and poetry. Along the way, I learned about and revered Cyrus the Great and a host of other Iranians who personified all that is good and in line with the great benevolent God, Ahuramazda. The more I learned and witnessed Islam, the more it repelled me, for it is much more in accord with that of the agent of evil, Ahriman.

Islam’s effect

Islam glorifies death by calling its killers soldiers of Allah. Islam preaches superiority of the in-group, and the inferiority of the “other.” It is a creed steeped in a superstition that demands blind obedience to authority and prohibits just about every form of freedom — the very precious gift of the Creator Ahuramazda that makes us human. Everything in Islam is black and white. One is either Muslim — good — or non-Muslim — evil. Men are superior, and women are subservient. This life is worthless and should be offered for the pleasure of Allah as defined by the clergy.

I could not believe that this life is worthless. The Creator did not create anything worthless. Every last one of his creations, down to subatomic particles, is worthy in the grand scheme of things. To me, the idea of human life as worthless made the claim itself worthless.
The more I studied Islam, the more I became convinced that Islam is a creed of ignorant people in a primitive age. It is fixated on time and place; it harbors the ambition of taking the 21st-century world back fourteen centuries and ruling it by its dogma of intolerance, injustice, and death. Yet Islam is not only an obsolete vestige of a defunct era but is an infinitely fractured belief that can hardly put its own house in order. The numerous Islamic sects are at each other’s throats. Subjects and schools despise one another as much as they hate non-Muslims. Hatred, not love, drives Islam.

I came to the realization that the root cause of all Muslims’ degradation and suffering is Islam itself. It is distressing to witness Islam making headway in traditionally non-Islamic lands. Masses of brainwashed faithful semi-literate Muslims, badly underserved in their own native lands, are moving to countries where “infidels” welcome them with material benefits denied them in their own homeland, as well as the liberty to subvert the very societies that provide refuge.

Even more distressing are those good-hearted simpleton non-Muslims who are up in arms defending the rights of Muslims to practice their religion in free societies such as the United States of America. These well-meaning, badly misguided folks don’t realize that practicing Islam fully requires subverting and destroying any and all non-Islamic beliefs and practices. All one needs to see this deadly aspect of Islam is to examine how Islam is practiced in places such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Afghanistan, Sudan, Somalia, and even the so-called more moderate Islamic states such as Egypt.

There is considerable allure in submission to a powerful god that is willing and able to take care of the person. It is not a bad arrangement. The problem is that all past claimants have invariably been proven to be either frauds or failures in honoring their part of the bargain. Islam is no exception. A cursory glance is enough to show the condition of Muhammad’s flock. In spite of huge material wealth, Muslims in oil-rich countries are imprisoned in the paralyzing mentality of submission and all the terrible ancillaries that go with it.

The post Islam’s Code of Conduct appeared first on Granite Grok.

What a way to NOT provide a contrast. What were these three erstwhile “NH GOP Elitists” thinking? From a tactical and strategic standpoint, none of you should have opened your mouths.

Instead, you three decided to test the idea that “Awe, the RNC will NEVER take the First In The Nation Primary” away from us here in NH! So self-assured, these three.  And make no mistake; they just showed a lot more hubris than they know.

Now, they couldn’t leave well enough alone.  Instead of making it EASIER for Republican candidates, these youngster Repubs, all full of themselves, decided to BE the DNC effectively in making sure that only THEIR KIND of Republican candidates could reach the ballot thresholds they wanted to set with HB116. They actually thought they could get away with this nonsense:

(a) For governor and United States senator, [$100] $10,000.
(b) For a representative to Congress, [$50] $5,000.
(c) For executive councilor, $25.
(d) For state senator, $10.
(e) For county officer, $10.
(f) For state representative, [$2] $0.

Still discriminating against a person’s color, just like the DNC, except it’s in your wallet and not the skin over your body. After all, we just can’t allow ANY rabble run for Governor, Senator, or Congresstwit, can we? Oh, and to be “gracious,” if you don’t have green skin for our game, let’s stymie them the other way by making it all but impossible for them to get petition signatures in place to get on the ballot:

• The number of primary petitions to be filed for each office shall be as follows: for governor and United States
  senator, [200] 25,000;
• for representative in Congress, [100] 12,500

Yep, and lest I forget the other comic book Mouseketeer, Alexander, who decided that THEY have the absolute right to determine who are the “correct” candidates for the NH Grassroots to pick from.

Manipulators. Elitists. How are they any different in results than the DNC? It’s clear that they decided that ONLY THEY know who the “right kind” of candidates are right for NH. And they think the rest of us are stupid:

Sweeney said voters are often confused on primary day to learn that while only three or five candidates actively campaigned for an office, as many as 12 or more got their names on the ballot due to the low filing fee.

“Running for office is not a vanity project,” Sweeney said.

That’s NOT your mission nor your responsibility, Sweeney – that’s up to the voters to decide!  And so WHAT, if it is a vanity project?  That’s your call as a lowly State Rep to make?  As a former NH GOP Exec Dir (so, how’s that record of yours in cracking the lock of the Dems’ witches coven on the Federal Delegation?), was THAT your role as well – determining who the Party should or shouldn’t allow to run?  You, too, Berry – you were an Exec Dir.

‘Cept now you both can bend the Law to your own purposes.

Tell you what, BOYS, instead of making it free to run for State Rep, how about you lead from the front and voluntarily pay that $10,000 – each? Show people that none of the High and Mighty amongst us is exempt from your financial shenanigans.  Remember, there is that phrase “don’t ask others to do what you’re not willing to do yourselves’; you ARE familiar with that, right?

No, I don’t think so, and I think that, in no small measure, why all three of you have skulked away with your tails between your legs on this one. You decided to slip this one through, thinking that the DNC was giving you larger cover (“snicker, they’ll never take notice of our trying to punish the Ordinary Joes and Janes thinking they could run.”

Totally opposite to the ethos of the State, where anybody could try and beat the odds. This is known at the little State where people COULD upset the Establishment apple cart and win.

You didn’t like that, did you?  You tried to make yourselves the Gatekeepers and patted yourselves on the back for doing so.

Ray Buckley will finish the year as the Biggest Political Loser. But you three will be holding up the corners of his cape as second in line.  NOBODY, except a few GOPe-ers like yourselves, liked this. At all.

Which tells the rest of us exactly who you are and where you stand.

Obnoxiously so.

Glad to see that someone beat some sense into you. After all, making it harder for Republicans to run just might have caught the eyes of the RNC, and they just MIGHT be starting to listen to the bigger states that have been gunning for the NH GOP’s position.

Stability. S-T-A-B-I-L-I-T-Y. An offshoot of “stable” – “it ain’t gonna move.” These three are like novice skiers at the top of Tuckerman, pounding their ski-boot-clad feet into the snowpack and going “looks good to me” and not worrying about the underlying structure of that rather unstable snow ledge. Couldn’t leave well enough alone, eh?

It seems to me that with the racist views of the Democrat National Committee (yes, they are discriminating against the NH DP on the grounds that NH’s population isn’t melanin sufficient). Sure, it doesn’t help that revenge in politics is a thing, and it’s not like Ray Buckley & Co haven’t been giving the rest of their Party angina for years and shaking them down to set themselves up for this fall. But really, having the DNC do to the NH Democrats, instituting a racial quota system, wasn’t enough for Sweeney, Alexander, and Berry?  Sure, laugh all you want at the DNC’s antics of publicly embarrassing the NH Dems by instituting impossible demands upon them to change the NH First in the Nation Law and essentially vote-by-mail, KNOWING that the Republicans in the majority wouldn’t lift a finger to help them.

After all, the RNC wouldn’t DARE to do the same to the NH GOP that the DNC was doing to the NH Dems, right?  RIGHT?

Sidenote: I’m not as convinced as Michael Graham that the NH GOP FITN is as firmly ensconced in Granite as King Arthur’s sword in the stone was.

Er, yeah, they would – and may well do so sooner than later with the Sweeney/Berry idiocy. At the same time that the DNC is making it all but impossible for the NH Dems to HAVE a primary (most likely the loss of their delegates AND punitive retaliation against those candidates willing to disobey their masters and campaign in NH – even if only by proxy?

You didn’t help. At all.

 

The post GOP Elitists Joe Sweeney, Joe Alexander and Ross Berry Haven’t Figured Out to Not Help the Democrats Dig a Hole appeared first on Granite Grok.

Konstantin Kisin, in remarks credited to an Oxford University debate, has some life-changing truths for #woke university students and a lot of other folks on the issue of lowering emissions in the name of climate change.

Who, you’d be right to ask, is Konstantin Kisin. I had to look it up.

 

Konstantin Kisin is a Russian-British comedian, podcaster, writer and social commentator. He made international headlines in 2018 by refusing to sign a university “behavioural agreement form” which banned jokes about religion, atheism and insisted that all humour must be “respectful and kind”.

 

A commenter at the source link suggested that this “needs to be required material in every classroom in the world.” I don’t disagree. In just under 7 minutes, Kisin lays bare some unpleasant truths about the climate cult if, in fact, they are serious about lower global emissions and why… it’s never going to happen.

He proposes a solution, and it is not to destroy western civilization by banning fossil fuels.

 

Some adult language.

 

 

HT | RCSB

The post This “Needs to Be Required Material in Every Classroom in the World.” appeared first on Granite Grok.

This is yet more information for we Normal folks that the Left (re: Democrats) can’t stand the idea of losing any Power that voters take away from them as a result of elections. Thus, they are all in for idea that the British Labour Party started in on: change the electorate.  Two mainstays of this tactic:

• Open borders so that ANYONE can come into the US – especially those that have NO idea of how our system of Civics and Governance works and what is the underlying Philosophy of both are. All they know is that they expect Government to “do stuff for them, preferably for free” and that the Democrats want to do exactly that for them.
• Change the voting age. Which is to say, exactly what I just said in that these 16 year olds have NO idea of how our system of Civics and Governance works and what is the underlying Philosophy of both are. In this case, it’s because of our lousy education system (generally made up of teachers and unions that support only Democrats).

I think this from Instapundit both shows the issue AND what the Republicans should do in response:

SHOT: THEY NEED GUILLIBLE, UNINFORMED VOTERS: Democrats push to amend Constitution so 16-year-olds can vote.

CHASER: I would tie the drinking and gun-owning age to the voting age.

Indeed – and I’d add breaking the Obamacare “you’re a child until age 26 on Mommy and Daddy’s health insurance plan. After all, VOTING is “adult behavior” – there is nothing “adult-ish” about it. Either you are an adult or you are a child – don’t let the Democrats “blend” the two. I really do want to hear, however, their arguments that 16 years old would never vote to give themselves the right to keep and bear arms, get rid of any restrictions on driving, the ability to now sign contracts, buy drugs, and and other such type of activities now denied them.

And you know who and what (here in NH) this would go after and make illegal?

Yep, that would be Cassandra Levesque‘s (D-Barrington) banning of child marriages. After all, if you can vote at age 16 (the mark of a adult), drink at age 16 (hey, the Democrats are ALWAYS yammering that we should be more like Europeans, yes?) and own guns (the mark of a voting and drinking adult – heh!). Being an adult means you should be able to love the one you want, according to the Democrats, right? I REALLY wanna see how that baby is cleaved in two, but I digress.

Let the stupidity begin! Emphasis mine, reformatted:

Democrats push to amend Constitution so 16-year-olds can vote
House Democrats did nothing to advance similar proposal when they controlled Congress last year

More than a dozen House Democrats this week proposed an amendment to the Constitution to allow 16-year-olds to vote in an apparent attempt to make it easier to enact left-leaning policies like gun control and pro-environmental measures. Democratic Rep. Grace Meng of New York introduced a resolution that would do away with the 26th Amendment to the Constitution, which allows U.S. citizens to vote if they are at least 18 years of age. The resolution would replace that with new language that says:

“The right of citizens of the United States, who are sixteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.”

Meng hadn’t released a statement on her proposal by early Thursday afternoon. But she released a statement in the last Congress, indicating a belief that lowering the voting age by amending the Constitution would let younger people have a say on many of the positions supported by Democrats.

And that last bit is EXACTLY the point – a new constituency for Democrats. That’s all this is about.

The 26th Amendment lowered the voting age from 21 to 18 and was ratified in 1971, in part due to pressure from the Vietnam War that saw a large number of teenagers drafted to fight overseas even though they could not vote.

And now we have The Science that says that these new constituents brains aren’t mature enough until age 26 for such types of adult decisions making  activities. This isn’t going to be all that easy for them to square that circle.  From that, this is a laugheroonie:

Another supporter, the Next Up Action Fund, argued that “16- and 17-year-olds are engaged, smart, and capable of casting informed votes…”

There is no evidence that most 16/17 year olds are anywhere near having the knowledgebase, reasoning, experience, and wisdom to be capable of such. Heck, just look at Berni-Bro Jan Schmidt for an example that such wisdom may never be attainable!

No matter what, this will be a years long process to make happen:

Amending the Constitution requires passage of the resolution by a two-thirds vote in the House and Senate and then ratification by three-fourths of state legislatures.

Now, never underestimate the Power of the Stupid Party to give the Democrats what they want but I can’t see a 23rd positive vote for this in either chamber.  And really, given the partisanship out in the States, all you need is 13 states to vote against it.

(H/T: Instapundit, Fox News), Liberty Unyielding)

The post So the Dems want to lower the Voting Age (Again) to 16? appeared first on Granite Grok.

In 1933 Moselm leaders in Syria blamed the nation’s drought on yo-yos. Our archive also has a story about how Pokemon is a Jewish plot to subvert Arab youth.

Not to be outdone, on Friday, Mohammad-Mehdi Hosseini Hamedani blamed the lack of precipitation on women not wearing hijab.

 

The Supreme Leader’s representative in the city of Karaj says the reason for low precipitation in the country is a lack of hijab observance of hijab, after many women took off their veils following months of protests.  …

Describing anyone who unveils in public as an enemy, he emphasized that all such people must be confronted by the state. “It is not possible to imagine that we are living in an Islamic country when we enter some institutions, shopping malls, pharmacies, etc.!” he said, calling on the authorities to warn shops and malls that serve women who have removed their hijab and close them down if warnings did not suffice.

 

This sounds familiar. Warnings do not suffice, so businesses that do not enforce a specific type of head or face covering should be shut down.

I know I’ve heard of that somewhere much closer to home. /sarc.

 

The post Cleric Claims Women’s Uncovered Heads Are Responsible for Drought appeared first on Granite Grok.

If you listen to Democrats, they will always decree that they are the Party of the people. They are convinced that every thought they have is to find ways to enhance our lives.

Related: Pappas and Kuster Vote to Kill Born, Breathing, Babies

They believe they are the Party of freedom and rights, but their actions show they are about control and restrictions. Democrats are the Nanny Party that feels Americans are incapable of making any significant life decision and that the elected elite know the answers to how you should live. With the country in an absolute quagmire the last two years, how is their thinking working for the masses? It’s not. Drop the mic!

We know that the Democrats do not look upon the unborn as living beings, but this week, they showed, almost in unison, that they have no concern for survivors of abortions. The Democrats are now the Party of infanticide, the willful killing of newborn babies. The minimum age for the Democrats to be concerned for your well-being is eighteen. Until you can vote, you are of no use to Democrats. Maybe that is why they are trying to lower the voting age to sixteen. They are feeling a modicum of guilt about their disdain for the young.

We know they do not care about school-age children or would not be complicit in destroying our education system. They would not be pushing LGBTQ+ or transgender counseling on young children if they cared about their best interests. They would allow parents to be involved in the education process if they cared for children. They would not be exploding our national debt, destroying our Southern Border, or allowing unlimited amounts of Fentanyl into our country if they were pro-kids. But the killing of newborn infants is beyond the pale. When have they gone too far?

There was a vote this week in the House on H.R. 26: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. The bill passed the house on a vote of 220-210-1-3. All 210 NAY votes were cast by Democrats, with the only AYE vote by a Democrat cast by Henry Cuellar of Texas’ 28th District. Cuellar is a moderate Democrat from a district on the Southern Border. He is also not in favor of the Biden Border policy. Every other Democrat Congressperson voted NAY for H.R.26. Let’s see what they voted to stop.

H.R. 26: Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act Should not be necessary for a civilized, first-world country. The Democrat’s votes make you question the civility of our country. The bill is to amend title 18 of the United States Code to prohibit a healthcare practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion. In other words, it is forcing medical personnel who were performing an abortion, and the aborted fetus is extracted alive, must do what is necessary to save that baby. Saving the lives of the newborn does not work for the Party of the People, the Democrats.

It is hard to believe that nineteen states, nearly half of the country, have laws that protect infanticide. Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Utah, Vermont, and West Virginia do not protect the born-alive survivors of abortions. This is immoral and incomprehensible.

This bill passed through the Republican-controlled House but will probably die in the Senate, where the Democrats will squash saving infants. This bill is not about abortion or women’s reproductive rights. This bill is about protecting the life of an innocent abortion survivor. Democrats prefer that that baby be left unattended until it passes away. God bless you the next time you vote for one of these callous people. The Democrats are about power, not life. Shameless.

The post Democrats Are For the People, Just Not Babies appeared first on Granite Grok.

First, I am merely an “enlightened amateur”.  Please vet & check on your own.  Caveat emptor.  Consider these to be priming the pump for your own investigations.  I know this is a long post; I am attempting to put out a lot of information as a resource.  Read or skip sections depending on your interests.

Second, I fear spicy time is very close, but even a month of food, water, etc., puts you well ahead of most of the sheeple.  IMHO, set your minimum sights on a three-month period.

Third, two things will be critical for having the best chance of making it through:

1. Mentality: first and foremost in survival is having a flexible mentality and cultivating the ability to adapt. Vanity has no place in survival.
2. Develop a meatspace network of people that are likeminded: cultivate your community ties and build alliances with neighbors (note: don’t babble about the Jab or globalists or depopulation, or start pointing political fingers when doing this)… and remember, the first rule of PREP CLUB is that there is no prep club.

And please follow both me, Nitzakhon, on Gab… as well as my blog host Granite Grok and also on Telegram Tommy Robinson Official plus his Urban Scoop site.  And don’t forget posts sometimes get cloned on American Reveille as well, which is a good site to check out in general.

FYI, here’s a link to the last Survival Sunday:

Survival Sunday – Thursday SITREP Edition – Granite Grok

If you find this useful, please share!

 

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Give this guy some serious chops for zero waste!

 

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Top of the fold:

mRNA Vaccines in Livestock and Companion Animals are here now. (substack.com)

Gonna be in your food.  Whether you want it to be or not.

I had a realization on this.  They’ll “Jab up” your food – meat, engineered vegetables, additives (potassium metathorinate, anyone?), so people will be forced to go to the Whole Wallet Foods stores for organic stuff (never mind questioning whether they’re really organic)… and then you’ll have to QR code to get in so every purchase is tracked anyway.

As the late Maharushie would say, Do not doubt me on this!  Do not forget – the Globalists are insane, but they’re not stupid.  They’re astonishingly well-funded and have been planning this for decades, if not centuries.

 

 

Aside: I’ve been predicting, for years (if not a decade) the normalization push for pedos.  And now a friend sent me an email with a subject line of “You were right.  Again” with the enclosed link:

World Economic Forum Declares Pedophiles ‘Will Save Humanity’ – News Punch

My reply, what this guy said:

 

 

—

 

BREAKING NEWS! This Might Just Start Civil War 2! #prepping

 

 

Bill filed in Washington State.  If this passes, look out.

 

 

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The Truth About Canadian Healthcare

 

 

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Prepper Site URLS:

Most have daily articles; revisit daily.  Please recommend others in the comments.

Ask a Prepper, how to prepare, survive and thrive, latest news

Mother Earth News

The Organic Prepper Home – The Organic Prepper

SurvivalBlog.com – The Daily Web Log for Prepared Individuals Living in Uncertain Times.

SHTF Blog – Modern Survival

Survival World – Everything You Need To Know to Survive

Homestead Survival Site – How to Live Off The Grid in Comfort and Style

Urban Survival Site | How to Survive a Disaster in the City

Mind4Survival – Survival and Preparedness

Gray Wolf survival

Sustainable Living (sustainablelivingideas.com)

The Classic Survivalist – Surviving in a Modern World

Primal Survivor – Practical and sensible prepping advice

Em Off-grid – We & Our Off The Grid Life – Em OffGrid

Resource for Practical, Daily Prepping Skills for SHTF & Survival (geekprepper.com)

Modern Survival Online: Survival and Preparedness from A to Z (new)

And three aggregate sites listing their top favorite sites & links too:

TOP 50 SURVIVAL & PREPPER BLOGS

The 50 Best Survival Blogs

Prepper Website – Preparedness • Survival • Alternative News

—

Specific, one-up articles:

I Hate Being A Prepper (And You Should Hate It Too) – Ask a Prepper

I agree.  I don’t want to be going through my day wondering if I have enough, if I’m prepared enough (I know I’m not), whether today will be the start of SHTF…

—

From the new site in the prepper site list above:

20 Survival Books and Military Manuals PDFs (modernsurvivalonline.com)

Load up the printer…

—

30 Survival Uses For Coffee Filters – Ask a Prepper

OOH, cool.  OTOH, who does these experiments to find these things out?

—

LESSONS FROM HISTORY: WW2 RATIONING & MEALS THEY CREATED (VIDEO) (theclassicsurvivalist.com)

Getting creative.

—

I Lived Without Running Water For One Year. Here’s What I Learned – Ask a Prepper

Reminds me, I need to get a solar shower bag.

—

Related to Spicy Time:

How to Start Prepping Right Now (modernsurvivalonline.com)

The best time to start prepping was 10+ years ago.  The second best time is now-now-now.  Time is short!

—

Bryan Kohberger’s ‘amateur’ mistakes that led to his arrest (nypost.com)

Understand that I am absolutely, positively not condoning stalking, murder, etc.  But… on a hypothetical basis, this is some useful info.  Do understand that electronics – e.g., cell phones – can be location-pinged even when OFF.

—

 

State of NEW CALIFORNIA Seeks To Secede And Create New State, Convention Held Calling For Secession

 

 

Parts of CA to secede?

The DS / Globalists cannot permit this to happen.  It would remove an enormous amount of political power that comes from California being so big.  Same for Oregon and Idaho.

—

 

“People just can’t know that.” McCaskill Hides Agenda from Voters, “semi-automatic rifle ban”

 

 

More:

 

SAY WHAT?!? Bill To BAN ALL Semi-Automatic Firearms Submitted

 

 

—

The Rules of Surviving a Black Market Economy (theorganicprepper.com)

And if spicy time truly arrives, everything will be a black market.

—

 

 

I understand very clearly that in a true SHTF situation, I won’t live through it.  But if I can be the shield that takes the hits so my kids do, it will be enough.  Dayenu.

—

This is why I own guns and so should the rest of the Jewish community

Not just us Jews.

To the Islamists, if you are not a Muslim you are a target.  Anywhere.  Anytime.  For the simple reason that you are not a Muslim.

 

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The other night I was showing my daughter the slip knot and alpine butterfly – see prior PREP post – and she’s off and running and wants to learn more.

 

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Short of years and untold wealth, you cannot possibly be fully prepared for everything (I have to keep reminding myself of that).  But even some preparations, ideally at least 90 days of food, water / water purification, etc., puts you head and shoulders in front of the vast majority of the sheeple who will be in jaw-gaping astonishment when the SHTF.  The only relevant questions are:

1. When does it start?
2. How bad will it get?
3. How long will it last?
4. What will the aftermath look like?

 

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Hollywood Bomb: Industry Lost More than $500 Billion (40%) of its Market Value in 2022

 

 

I feel bad… for the line workers.

 

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I just started a FORAGING group on Gab.  I need to approve membership and will check every few days.

—

Foraging: One-up articles

 

Wild Food Foraging – Tree Bark – Cambium – Emergency Food

 

 

—

 

Foraging (permanent feature):

Foraging (practicalselfreliance.com)

Wild Harvests (arcadianabe.blogspot.com)

Southern Appalachian Herbs

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Books (permanent feature):

Feasting Free on Wild Edibles (old but good)

The Lost Ways (much more than just foraging)

The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO EDIBLE WILD PLANTS FOR BEGINNERS

 

=+=+=

Shortages (broadly):

 

10 Items To HOARD NOW! Things You May NOT THINK Of – Before It’s Too LATE.

 

 

This guy has quite a few videos – I’ve browsed a few and they seem on target.  Though in the few I’ve seen, IMHO, a tad repetitive.

—

 

Farmland WARS: The Global TAKEOVER of America’s Land

 

 

=+=+=

Gardening, Animals, Food Storage, Health, and Related:

 

 

—

10 Breeds of Chicken That Will Lay Lots of Eggs for You – (thehappychickencoop.com)

A Chicken Feeding Guide to Balance Diet at All Ages – Backyard Poultry (iamcountryside.com)

Should You Buy Chickens This Year? – The Organic Prepper

Someday… related to animals broadly:

 

 

—

Installing bee packages in a new bee yard! – Björn’s Colorado Honey (bjornscoloradohoney.com)

The boy wants to be a beekeeper.

—

How To Make Bread Last For Up To 5 Years – Ask a Prepper

Interesting idea!!!

—

Study Links Popular Food Additive to Colon Cancer (resistthemainstream.com)

I just noticed that the iron pills I take have this stuff in them.

—

Jerusalem Artichokes Growing – Planting Jerusalem Artichokes (gardeningknowhow.com)

Jerusalem Artichoke Companions: Tips On Jerusalem Artichoke Companion Planting (gardeningknowhow.com)

Jerusalem Artichoke Control – Tips On Managing Jerusalem Artichoke Plants (gardeningknowhow.com)

They can be invasive and grow aggressively.  Which, in a small garden, can be a bad thing.

—

Seed Starting for Beginners – Everything to Know Before You Start Seeds – Gardening Know How

Collection of articles.  One thing I read elsewhere is to have an oscillating fan on them to strengthen the seedling stems.

—

Tips & Information about Sweet Potatoes – Gardening Know How

Good nutrition source!

—

 

If I Had To Pick ONLY Three Crops For A Survival Garden…

 

 

—

Chokecherries: Care and Growing Guide (thespruce.com)

Another potential one for abandoned field growing.

—

How to Safely Store Homemade Broth for 6 Months (No Canning or Freezing Required!) – Ask a Prepper

I’m saving up bones to try another batch of bone broth.  Will have to try this.  And if it does go bad – rancid?

8 Ways to Use Your Rancid Oil for Survival – Ask a Prepper

There’s another use for rancid fat, especially rancid meat fat.  This comes Mexico, where – in fighting the French – the Mexicans would fill a bag full of rotten meat, rancid fat, and other things like fecal matter… bury it and let it ferment.  Then the paste could be painted onto shrapnel or other sharp items to be used as projectiles or booby-traps against enemy soldiers (e.g., if you’re a reloader, take your 00 buck, drill a hole, fill it with the stuff, dry, and put back into your shells for instant-implantation of disease-riddled materials).  Yes, today’s antibiotics will stop the infections, but it’s an incapacitation nonetheless as the soldier’s body has to fight the infection, not just the wound.

Useful as an intellectual exercise and odd historical tidbit.  Not that I’m advocating this, but remember… if spicy time truly arrives, there will be no rules.  Alas.

—

Maximize Your Garden’s Carbon Collecting Capabilities | Craig Schaaf (gab.com)

Video, about 4 minutes.

—

Companion Planting Herbs: Best Herbs to Plant Together | The Old Farmer’s Almanac

Synergy.  I like that!

—

Links on old-time food storage (permanent feature):

Thanks to the Canning and Preserving group on Gab, I now have these links:

Preserving foods by drying | How to dry foods safely (uada.edu)

USDA-Complete-Guide-to-Home-Canning-2015-revision.pdf (healthycanning.com)

Canning | SDSU Extension (sdstate.edu)

Food Preservation– Canning | Consumer Food Safety | Washington State University (wsu.edu)

Canning Timer & Checklist App | OSU Extension Catalog | Oregon State University

National Center for Home Food Preservation (uga.edu)

Canning Recipes | Ball® Mason Jars (ballmasonjars.com)

—

Topical Books (also permanent):

Charcuterie: The Craft of Salting, Smoking & Curing

Salumi: The Craft of Italian Dry Curing

A Guide to Canning, Freezing, Curing & Smoking Meat, Fish & Game

The Prepper’s Canning Guide

Pickled Pantry

Fermented Vegetables

Hydroponics and Greenhouse Gardening: 3-in-1 Gardening Book to Grow Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruit All-Year-Round

Hydroponics for Beginners: The Complete Guide to Hydroponic Gardening, Designing and Building Inexpensive DIY Hydroponic Systems…

The Aquaponics Guidebook: Combining Aquaculture and Hydroponics Combining Aquaculture and Hydroponics

 

=+=+=

Self-defense (broad) & Hunting:

 

USCCA vs US LawShield vs CCW Safe: Which Concealed Carry Insurance Is The Best?

 

 

You’ve got to have something like this if you carry, IMHO.  In a lot of places where – theoretically – it’s legal to carry, the law establishment doesn’t like that, and will try to punish you.  Just look at the grief that guy in Texas is about to go through for that extra shot or two after the guy in the restaurant went down.

—

 

7 Signs You’re Going To Be Attacked By a Bad Guy

 

One sign from one book I read is where they mirror you, e.g., their footsteps fall into rhythm with yours.  Related:

 

We Asked Prisoners 11 Questions About Who They Target (Are You One Of Them?)

 

And on carrying:

 

Carrying With One In the Chamber: Good Thing Or Bad Thing?

 

When Is It Really Legal To Draw Your Gun?

 

Beginners Guide To Concealed Carry – “Warning” – Don’t Make These Two Mistakes – Empty Chamber & FMJ

 

—

 

https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/bird-trap.mp4

 

In one survival book I read, you need to wring the neck, but then do the slaughter / butchering well away or the smell will make the trap useless after a while.

—

‘A Free Society Must Know How to Defend Itself’ — Poland to Invest Further in Firing Ranges, Says PM

Ooh-rah Poland!

 

=+=+=

Miscellaneous:

EV Owner Needs Replacement Battery, Told She’ll Have to Wait Four Years to Get It (westernjournal.com)

Sucks to be her!

 

=+=+=

Concluding thoughts if I’m moved to comment:

 

I am watching the slow-motion drip-drip-drip of classified documents in unsecure places, and like many have concluded that someone is determined to get the Potato out of office.  Now, MHO is that there will be no trials or messy impeachments – rather, Joe will be Arkancided sadly pass in his sleep soon from the strain of the office and the damage being done to his family.

 

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Need a water bottle?  Consider this one:

 

 

 

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Palate cleansers:

 

—

—

 

>>>>>=====<<<<<

 

Please check out my MEMES collections; last one here.  Mockery, ridicule, and the wrapping of uncomfortable truths inside humor can penetrate the cognitive shields of normies far more effectively – IMHO – than dry facts and figures.

 

The post Survival Sunday – Sunday PREP Edition appeared first on Granite Grok.

BlackRock® invests other people’s money and a lot of it, but not everyone is happy about how. Its commitment to “Environmental, Social and Governance” (ESG) has become an albatross around the company’s neck.

 

BlackRock plans to dismiss some 500 workers as the asset management company seeks to contend with heavy losses.

The company’s assets under management declined from $9.5 trillion in the third quarter of 2021 to $8.0 trillion in the third quarter of 2022, according to the firm’s most recent earnings report. The reduction in headcount, which represents less than 3% of the BlackRock workforce, occurs after one of the worst years for the stock market in history and similar layoffs in other industries.

 

That’s not money lost due to a declining market. This is money that got up and went someplace else. You can add market losses to it, and as Ace notes, there are probably some FTX losses hiding in the balance sheets as well.

Net-Zero Climate Woke “banking” has not had a great year.

In October, nineteen states joined a lawsuit to investigate a who’s who of banks that might be basing lending or investment on commitments to the ideologically driven notion of ESG. States (primarily red) have also announced their intention to reallocate their assets of public money (like pensions) away from firms like Black Rock.

It’s good advice.

 

The losses come amid BlackRock executives’ promulgation of the environmental, social, and corporate governance movement, also known as ESG, by which managers commit themselves to pursue green energy, appointing minorities to serve as managers, or otherwise blending profitability with activism. BlackRock has taken “voting action on climate issues” against dozens of portfolio firms, according to a company stewardship report.

Critics say the recent poor performance of ESG funds discredits the movement.

 

Translation: you will invest in sh!tty poorly-performing funds or else!

Or else what?

Or Black Rock will have to fire 500 employees. That’s 3% of their workforce. And while BlackRock plays woke, how will they decide who stays and who goes? Will it be color-blind based on performance, or is race or gender more important?

 

 

HT | AoSHQ

The post Investors Pulled 1.5 Trillion in Assets Out of BlackRock® In the Past Year – Company To Lay Off 500 appeared first on Granite Grok.

Next Friday is Day 90, which means 90 to go. We are at the halfway point in the school year and a good spot for reflection. Let’s take a look inside the iconic school bus. Everyone knows what they do, but there is much more when you look behind the curtain. That is what we will do with this week’s Sunday Spotlight.

I marked my third anniversary working at First Student driving a school bus this week. Not a day goes by that the competence and professionalism of our drivers are not tested. I have a greater appreciation and respect for my teammates each day. Every day we turn the key, turn on the lights and hope for a seamless run. Most of the time, our wish is granted, but when the unexpected arises, we call on our training, experience, and sound judgment to bring normalcy back to the bus.

I was training and testing for three months before meeting my first student. At the time, I thought it was excessive. Now I wonder if it was enough, but you can never prepare for every challenge. That is life, and the unexpected can always mess with a good plan. The training and life experiences must blend to make you a successful driver and guardian of parents’ most prized gift; their children. That responsibility makes this job daunting and stressful, but both are calmed by each of us just doing our job. Let’s look at an example

This week, a routine bus run turned anything but routine. A young girl being brought home from school had a seizure, collapsed, and fell between the seats of the bus. One of the students alerted the bus driver, and a cool-headed individual did her job. The driver called the dispatcher with precise details. The school, police, and parents were called. An ambulance was dispatched. The young girl was transported to the local hospital for tests and then released to her parents. A young girl went home because a bus driver did her job.

Every driver has a unique story. Every man and woman has their reason for putting on a reflective vest and heading off each morning to fill their bus and deliver their students to their school. We do not need to stoke our egos to dispel the belief that we are simply drivers, but our daily actions do that for us. We are professional, trained, and dedicated guardians of your children, and despite the inherent stress, we love our job,

There are significant changes in our post-COVID America. The ridership is down as habits have yet to revert to pre-Pandemic norms. The long lines of cars in the parent drop-off and pick-up lanes are obvious. There also is a significant drop in public school enrollment. Charter and home-school are becoming more popular alternatives as parents are not happy with how public schools made physical improvements, and public school education results are forcing students elsewhere.

The noticeable changes on the bus are the interactions between riders. I have all high school riders, and you can meditate on my bus. There is virtually no communication between students, and this means those who may be neighbors. Earbuds are as standard as backpacks, and personal interaction has been replaced with text, IMs, and DMs. It is sad because social skills are disappearing quickly.

Some people think of us as just people driving for a part-time job. They could not be more wrong. I have only been driving for three years, but it did not take long to realize the incredible responsibility in what we do. Every day we transport dozens of kids, your children, to and from school safely and efficiently. In the dark of morning and the bright sun of afternoon, we are guardians of your children, your most precious belongings. We pick them up in the morning and deliver them home in the afternoon. Safe and sound. It is not just a job. It is serious business for us, and we love what we do. We do it for you, and we do it for your children. We do it because we love the job and the kids.

The post Sunday Spotlight: The Real Story About Those Big Yellow Buses appeared first on Granite Grok.

We could call this putting other people’s money where your mouth is. A German physician was found guilty of violating German Law for issuing 4,287 mask exemptions to patients, none of whom had any medical records with the accused.

Translated by Google

According to the prosecution, the background to the certificates issued was the political attitude of the doctor from Weinheim in the Rhein-Neckar district. The 59-year-old considers the statutory corona-related restrictions to be inappropriate and unconstitutional. In particular, the accused had repeatedly spoken out publicly at demonstrations and the video platform YouTube against the obligation to wear a face mask. She also confessed to this in court.

The doctor has been sentenced to two years and nine months in prison for, according to LifeSite News, “selling mask exemptions and issuing false medical attestations.”

Well, that’s a thing. Is the German Government going after Pfizer, Moderna, itself? If issuing a mask exemption when there is plenty of peer-reviewed evidence that they do not do what advocates claim is a crime, when will the vaccine* extremists find their way onto the docket?

The FDA Advisory Committee is upset that facts were withheld from them. Serious health risks that until recently were labeled as conspiracy theories are accepted side effects. Million of Germans get The Jab based on lies from their government, public health officials, politicians, and if it was anything like America, the media, and celebrities.

They are all guilty of false medical attestations, but no one is holding their breath, waiting for justice to find them.

 

The post German Doctor Made €28,000 Euros Selling COVID Mask Exemption Certificates appeared first on Granite Grok.

Historical precedent aside, present Shiite Iran is home to over 300,000 Mullahs. The most descriptive term for “Mullah” is “parasite.” A Mullah begins his career as a parasite, lives as a parasite, and dies as a parasite,

simply because he contributes absolutely nothing to the necessities of life, yet gobbles disproportionately more of whatever resources he can grab.

As a true parasite, a Mullah’s very survival depends on others. It is critical for a Mullah to procure and maintain a docile, obedient host. A flock of gullible ignorant fanatics makes excellent hosts and the Mullahs’ main task is to keep the sheep in their pen by hook or crook. They scare the flock with horror stories of hell and entice them with the promise of unimaginable glorious paradise – if and only if they behave and keep on supplying them with milk, wool, and meat.

The ruthless mullahs of Iran are plenty evil without the bomb. With the bomb, the end is truly at hand. Some influential pundits pontificate that we can live with nuclear Islamists in Iran if it comes to that. They argue that the Islamists would never use the bomb. Because the mullahs, the fanatic zanies as they may be, are not going to risk Iran becoming a radioactive parking lot by the massive U.S. retaliation. Wrong. Civilized people cherish and celebrate life. The Islamists relish death as stated in their ideology and practiced daily.

Once again, these well-heeled know-it-all pundits are seeing things through their own spectacles. The mullahs have no compunctions about killing tens of thousands of their own people. They have set up a “Special Court of the Clergy” to try and imprison any of their own clerics who dare to oppose their doomsday designs. They even arrest and torture the ordinarily untouchable ayatollahs for speaking up for the rule of law and tolerance.

The time is ripe and the time is now. History will record this. The Western world must rid itself of the “happy talk” as we tranquilize ourselves by reasoning that these doddering old-world religious fools may be mischievous, but they could never do real harm. Oh, sure, they might be arming some Iraqi Shiites, killing a few US soldiers, providing a little support for Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas terrorists in Palestine, building several bases in South America and Africa, murdering Iranian people, and calling for the eradication of Israel—but they have no global destructive capacity. After all, we pacify ourselves that we’re not exactly talking about criminal masterminds like Hitler, or are we?

Islamic clergy, the parasitic prime beneficiaries of Islam, are master practitioners of the carrot-and-stick strategy. By drawing heavily from the Quran and the Hadith, the conniving mullahs and imams have assembled a potent arsenal of threats and promises to keep the faithful in line. They have little trouble in so doing, by shooting at peaceful demonstrators, killing a large number of unarmed people, and arresting tens of thousands of protesters for the past 5 months.

I REPEAT: The U.S. and its allies have, in secular Iranians, their best friends in the entire world. It is imperative for the U.S. to help these Iranians to dislodge the vicious doomsday Mullahs, not as an act of altruism but as a prudent measure of enlightened self-interest.

 

The post Support the Iranian Protesters to Dislodge the Mullahs appeared first on Granite Grok.

December 23, 1913 was the founding of the Federal Reserve. Here are the results so far … US dollar purchasing power down 97%

(click to embiggen)

The post Data Point – Value of US Dollar 1913 – 2022 appeared first on Granite Grok.

Some people go to arcades to waste some time and have some fun. Others are deadly serious in that they want to win hundreds (if not thousands) of “tickets” to trade in for crappy prizes at “the counter” when your time in the arcade is done (Mom, Dad, Grammy, Grandpa are threatening to leave you behind).

And of course, ex-NASA engineer Mark Roper as a different take on things – how to beat some of the rigged arcade games at their own scam. Although one has to think “how much time and money did he spend to win some essentially worthless tickets”?  Enough to make you watch his video – heh!

It’s almost enough for me put political blogging aside for a while….almost.  It’s what drives engineers.

Just thinking about things…solving problems that need not be solved….but it’s fun!

The post Palate Cleanser – How to Beat Arcades with Mark Roper Engineering! appeared first on Granite Grok.

The latest manifestation of Sun-King Sununu’s insatiable narcissism … His Wokeness fostering the impression that he may run for President. The dipping of the royal toe toe in the Presidential waters, however, is all about “look at me!; everybody look at me!” At the most, Sun-King would play the role of hatchet-man for NeverTrump, with the hope of securing a cabinet post or perhaps a larger stipend from CNN or MSNBC to be a “contributor.” As he revealed in declining to run for the U.S. Senate, His Wokeness is too lazy to fundraise and too thin-skinned to actually run for higher office.

True to form, Sun-King’s Presiential campaign is based on gaslighting. One particular whopper he has been pushing is that he is all about local control:

This a BRAZEN lie. In 2020, Sun-King signed into law a bill that effectively ended local control of zoning by creating a HOUSING APPEALS BOARD empowered to overrule the decisions of local land-use boards.

The purpose of this Housing Appeals Board was to grease the skids for developers to build large apartment complexes, i.e., so-called “workforce housing.” In other words, the purpose was to end LOCAL CONTROL of land-use decisions.

Needless to say, these complexes not only destroy the rural character of the State, they are intended to attract “young voters” who by massive margins vote Democrat. So … because of the Housing Appeals Board … New Hampshire will not only look more like Massachusetts; it will vote more like Massachusetts.

And yet the Sun-King … who effusively supported the Housing Appeals Board … has the chutzpah to tell us that he is all about local control.

The post To Sun-King Sununu, “Local Control” Means He Controls The Locals appeared first on Granite Grok.

So, is part of your “RESIST” schtick, Chris Pappas?  And is that mask hiding a broad smile, Annie Kuster?

Leading up to and after the SCOTUS Dobb’s decision (that corrected the wrong decision that abortion was not part of the Constitution), there were a lot of attacks on churches and pro-life/pregnancy care establishments, many by either a group called “Jane’s Revenge” or allied pro-abortionists. While I did put up a post stating that we’ve seen what the Republicans have done in the past, I have to admit that part of what the Rs are doing is putting Democrats “on record”.  Like on this (emphasis mine):

Majority of House Dems Vote Against Resolution Opposing Violence Against Churches and Pro-Life Centers

…But you have to give the Republicans credit for fighting the good fight and for making the Democrats say all of the quiet parts out loud.

For example, this week, the House passed a measure that condemned attacks on pro-life facilities and churches. According to Just the News, the resolution “condemns recent attacks of vandalism, violence, and destruction against pro-life facilities, groups and churches” and “calls upon the Biden Administration to use all appropriate law enforcement authorities to uphold public safety and to protect the rights of pro-life facilities, groups, and churches.” The vote was 222-219 and was, as usual, split along party lines. But three Democrats—Vicente Gonzalez of south Texas, Chrissy Houlahan of Pennsylvania, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington—supported it.

And note that none of them were named Annie Kuster or Chris Pappas. They had the chance to let their constituents know that they abhor violence simply because of the religious faiths of those being targeted by the pro-abortionists.

They couldn’t even be bothered to put up a facade. But it IS nice of them, via the “speech of their vote” to let the rest of us known that they hate people of faith and what we stand for. That they have no problem with our houses of worship and outreach missions being destroyed. I can only believe that it is because they cannot stand the idea that we treat other things to be far more important than their god of government mentality.

Our heresy, in their eyes, must be punished. After all, poll after poll, study after study, have shown the Democrat Party being far more godless than Society at large.

From the post:

The report notes that there were 342 incidents of vandalism, 58 incidents of arson or attempted arson, 12 incidents involving guns, 11 bomb threats, and 19 incidents that fell into the “other” category, which consisted of assaults, interruption of services, or threats. Twenty incidents involved a combination of offenses.

And these incidents were making the news until, suddenly (like the Antifa attacks in Portland and Seattle), they weren’t anymore. It was like some master-Hive minds in the Left said “nope, no more reporting on this!”.

So we do have to ask “does violence against churches rate the same as the violence against unborn babies, Congresswoman Kuster and Congressman Pappas?  I understand that NH is one of the most unchurched States in the country, but does that factoid give you sufficient cover to give credence to physical violence?  That you can ignore it because if your ideological makeup that “we don’t matter to you”?

We shall remember.

The post By Their Vote, Chris Pappas and Annie Kuster Tell Us They Hate Churches and Pro-Life Centers appeared first on Granite Grok.

The rhetorical dust has settled on the business of choosing the new Speaker of the US House of Representatives. It was not exactly what you’d call business as usual, and the usual suspects were quick to feign outrage, and we should not forget.

The alternative to what we saw is lockstep acceptance of business as usual which, given how perennially unpopular the body is, seems like a bad idea.

Terrell Clemmons, the Deputy Editor of Salvo Magazine, had an interesting take or turn to explain why what we saw was – as I and many others noted – how things should work.

 

Last week, political news was all about the battle for the Speaker of the House that played out over several contentious days and took fifteen votes to settle. Mainstream commentators criticized the “chaos” and “division” and characterized the drawn-out process as a dysfunctional “clown show.”

Without commenting on the political minutiae of it all, I would just ask a question: was that really what it was? Every mother knows that when the toddlers are quietly “getting along” in some other part of the house, she should drop what’s she’s doing right away and find out what they’re getting into.

We might do well to take a similar approach toward elected officials.

 

This strikes me as precisely what the Founders intended, and these are points made here and across the conservatarian firmament. Getting nothing done at the Federal level has historically prevented more harm than help, with the caveat that it also prevents action to undo previous harms. And that’s critically important. The elites are forever claiming a need to fix what is broken when it is they who broke it. Some would argue, myself included, that this is their entire reason for living.

And we can debate whether any given example is deliberate but simply put, they do use their authority to break things they can then claim to “fix” or that they intend to “fix” if you’ll give them a bit more of what is yours (rights, property, etc.). They’ve flipped the relationship.

The nation was started on the premise that public servants worked for the general populace. The government got its power from the people. These days it is more a matter of codependence. Politicians overstep to perpetuate self-destructive behaviors among the people, who are blamed for whatever they claim ails us. A deficit that has become multi-generational.

Congress has spent so much that does not yet exist that your children’s children’s children will likely have to pay a significant price for it. Fruits of labors not yet borne. Something I have called the true voting rights problem in America. A tax upon ancestors who had no vote in the matter. The result of congress “quietly” getting along.

It’s a dangerous thing, and there are few examples of it that have not benefited “members of congress” at the expense of the people for whom they are supposed to work.

 

 

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