Friday • March 20 • 2026
Vol.XVIII • No.XII
Manchester, N.H.
The Congressional TikTok Ban is a bad idea, and Republicans promoting and advancing it make it worse. We can wonder why they are helping Biden’s agenda but a greater issue is wanting any president to have the ability to censor any social media platforms at an executive whim.
I mentioned it here, but several readers suggested that it deserves more focus.
BREAKING: New TikTok ban bill HR7521 gives the Executive Branch of government the power to define any platform/website as “foreign owned” even if domestic, giving them the ability to control/censor the content being published by the company. pic.twitter.com/asgStv4zXx
— Patrick Webb (@RealPatrickWebb) March 13, 2024
To be fair, there is some debate about definitions in the bill that are purposefully vague, which, to my mind, is rearranging deckchairs on the Titanic. There should be no bill and no definitions, certainly not vague ones. That wiggle room means the ability to act first and answer questions later in court. A backdoor enforcement mechanism to shut down large platforms – maybe near an election, for example – because those in power decided they presented some sort of threat.
How long before that applies to any website of any size if this passes?
Not Your JobFunny thing about free speech. That’s the point. Open, unencumbered debate is meant to threaten the status quo—directed at officers, politicians, and institutions to ensure they do not become too comfortable. There are no circumstances under which the US Government should ban, censor, silence, mute, manage, or manipulate public debate—ever. The public has first dibs on that through more speech and debate.
We also have rules for incitement that are purposefully tricky. Legal measures are in place to police legitimate threats, which, by the way, do not include violating every other form of speech in which that person(s) might engage.
The TikTok ban is a bad idea, not just because, as written, it might empower Executive Office abuses but also because it seeks to silence a platform that ironically is doing more to protect the First Amendment (at least in America) than the government trying to suppress it. A government that spies on its citizens and scrapes their data for nefarious purposes—and we’re not talking about China.
This is America trying to be more like the thing they claim to oppose, crafting laws in an attempt to make it legal.
The post Irony Alert: Congress Wants to Ban a Platform Doing More to Protect Free Speech Than They Do appeared first on Granite Grok.
I previously posted about State Rep Damond Ford (Communist – Manchester) Comm-washing the history of slavery in order to indoctrinate schoolchildren: State Rep Damond Ford Doesn’t Know Much About History. But there is more.
Damond Ford also has a problem with Israel. Indeed, he has declared that you cannot be a “progressive” (the American Communists preferred term for Communist) and be pro-Israel:
Given that this is what Damond Ford posts on his social media, just imagine what he says in private. Perhaps … “from the river to the sea?”
As I said in my prior post about Damond Ford, The only thing that really distinguishes Damond Ford and his ilk from Pol Pot, Mao, Stalin, etc., is that the latter obtained sufficient power to destroy the lives of hundreds of millions. Pray that Ford and his ilk never obtain such power.
The post State Rep Damond Ford … You CANNOT Be Progressive And Pro-Israel appeared first on Granite Grok.
Hertz Rental Cars jumped the shark on EVs, going all in on fleet expansion, complete with ads featuring Tom Brady to promote the product. Not long after, Hertz discovered – you’d think they’d have done due diligence in advance – that EVs cost more, more to maintain, and are … unreliable. We knew this.
They could have asked, or they could have read a few articles on the subject from troubled businesses and nation-states around the world.
They cost more to buy, a lot more to insure, are expensive to repair, and, in many cases, are a total loss from what might otherwise be a minor accident. You can’t trust them indoors (or shouldn’t due to lithium battery fire risk). Their advertised range rarely meets expectations. Most EVs will never run on non-fossil fuel electricity, and their manufacture and disposal are less than green.
In the end, reliability and cost were their undoing. Hertz announced it would not buy another 100,000 and instead settled on a massive EV fleet reduction – followed just two months later by parting ways with its soon-to-be-former CEO.
Stephen Scherr will step down as Hertz Global Holdings Inc.’s chief executive officer and member of the company’s Board of Directors effective March 31, the company announced Friday. Scherr led Hertz for just over two years after spending nearly three decades at Goldman Sachs.
Scherr’s resignation comes as the car rental company struggles with the higher repair costs and low demand for EV rentals.
Scherr’s departure also follows the company’s biggest reported loss since 2020. We know why they lost money in 2020—someone unplugged the world and wouldn’t plug it back in. This time, the damage is self-inflicted. It is a rental cart before the horse situation or, if you prefer, a massive virtue signal gone sideways. Look at us. We are embracing the transportation future without any support infrastructure.
Let’s Go!
No one wanted to, even after Tom Terrific said he liked to do that (it was just a commercial). And I’m not sure if Mr. Brady even owns one of those EV lawn ornaments—he might. It makes you wonder if, back in the day, soon-to-be former CEO Scherr was in the Boy Scouts and fell victim to the snipe-hunting gag. And not just him, but the whole board, because this EV disaster didn’t happen without their buy-in.
Brady cashed the check and walked away. Hertz will be paying for this mistake for a while.
The post It Hertz! – Rental Car CEO ‘Resigns’ After EV Fleet Fail appeared first on Granite Grok.
Let me start with a routine disclaimer that criticism of Kelly Ayotte is NOT an endorsement of Chuck Morse. Never forget what he did on 11/19/21. With that said, I have a few observations about Kelly that I’d like to share, and I’ll get to Jan in a moment.
Based on looking at Kelly’s and Chuck’s Facebook pages, which either or both of them might or might not let a staffer manage, it appears that Chuck has been busy on the campaign trail, making multiple stops daily and proudly accounting for his activities and time spent. I am using the words “accounting for” rather loosely because we all know that there are many other things more significant to watch than social media alone. Consider it just a raw, unscientific observation of one microcosm. The links provided are open to the public, so Facebook haters like me can “take a peek” without membership.
Anyone can go back in time further, but I find the past few days interesting. Kelly was not at Saturday’s gun rally, but Chuck was. I know what people are thinking. Didn’t she vote for some red-flag bills in Washington? That’s what I’ve heard, though I haven’t looked into it and have no reason to doubt it. If true, I can see why she wouldn’t care to attend; a possible explanation rather than an excuse, but let’s move on.
I know it’s common for high-profile candidates to want to keep their social media active with daily entries. I also know that being busy is often not as important as looking busy. I won’t bore you with a detailed review of all of the recent entries of both because you can take a look for yourself. Just take note that Kelly sure does post a lot of family memories, endorsements, opinions on current events, and pictures that might or might not be current. I see nothing wrong with sprinkling a few of those things into one’s feed, but the dearth of current activity is on full display. I also often see retooled posts, meaning a “double dipping,” if you will, of a campaign stop entry from days earlier.
As annoying as NH Journal is, I regularly check out what it says and happened to fall behind a few days. The St P’s Day breakfast is a well-known Nashua event, and the Damn Emperor served as “Deputy Blarney Master.”
He even called attention to Kelly’s absence from the podium. We all know how much that narcissist loves attention, but we also know that Kelly Ayotte is his pick, and she’s also the only Nashua candidate running for governor. The other three well-known household names were present despite being out-of-towners, and 2 of them were from the enemy camp! Chuck was even photographed with the enemy camp’s unsightly Bette Lasky!
You can see that on his Facebook page, but if that causes eye damage, do NOT call her husband. He’s an optometrist who steals political signs. In fact, if Dr. Lasky was in attendance, Chuck and his staff ought to inventory his signs and report any missing ones, but back to Kelly.
So my question to all of NH, particularly the locals, is, “Where’s Kelly Ayotte, and is she ok?” Can someone account for her recent whereabouts and say under oath (to Leah Cushman or anyone else) how she’s doing?
The answer to the namesake question in the title, “What do Jan Schmidt and Kelly Ayotte have in common?” is that they’re both Ward 1 locals and public figures who are well-known to the rest of the city. Remember when then-Alderman Jan parked in the handicapped parking behind city hall without properly displaying the required credentials?
A Grokster sounded the alarm, and a cyber-welfare check ensued. Jan was kind enough to show her gratitude for such concern by filing a bill during LSR time (November 2019) titled something like “relative to stalking elected officials.” Fortunately, it died either in the House or earlier in the process, but that wasn’t the end. She tried to get the Grok kicked off their server but without success.
If Kelly, being the lawyer that she is, supports free speech as much as Professor Alan Dershowitz does, I expect her to respect MY 1A rights better than Jan has of everyone she disagrees with.
The post Riddle Me This: What Do Jan Schmidt and Kelly Ayotte Have in Common? appeared first on Granite Grok.
Once again, we’re approaching the filing period for candidates to many elected offices, including State Representative. If you have ever considered running, we urge you to learn more and consider throwing your hat in the ring.
Our upcoming webinar is aimed at helping first-time candidates understand what’s involved in running for office and serving as a State Rep. What makes a good candidate? How much effort is required to run? What’s the time commitment if you win? What should you be doing today to prepare, even if you’re just thinking about running?
You’ll also learn about resources that can help you run a successful campaign, including FREE training from the 603 Alliance. (SAVE THE DATES for our 1-day campaign training on April 27th, May 18th, or June 22nd. Stay tuned for more info.)
WHEN: Mar 27, 2024, 7 PM to 8 PM
WHERE: Online, but advanced registration is REQUIRED
We hope you’ll join the 603 Alliance team for this 1-hour informational session. Advance registration is required. Click here to register. You will receive a PERSONALIZED link after your registration has been approved. We ask that all participants use their real name and contact information when registering.
If the link above does not work, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEtdu6hqTsjEtfujupe8x1i5X78SglrtgJi
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Questions? Contact us at info@603alliance.org.
The post Interested in Running for Office? appeared first on Granite Grok.
I have followed various mailings, messages, and InDepthNH.org news articles regarding the NH Exculpatory Evidence Schedule (EES) (aka the “Laurie List”). Because I am a New Hampshire prisoner with no online access, I have been unable to respond to this matter, but I do so now with the help of an outside advocate.
From a contact at ACLU-NH, I became aware in late 2021 that former Keene, NH Detective James F. McLaughlin was briefly named on the public EES for a founded 1985 complaint of “Falsification of Records.” This was by no means the only EES misconduct by Mr. McLaughlin, but the public has been constrained from commenting by the years in which the existence of this list was kept secret and by the anonymity and judicial secrecy afforded to officers seeking removal from the list.
In a recent article by Damien Fisher at InDepthNH.org, “Judge Considers Releasing YDC Abuse Affidavit AG Wants Sealed,” I read a hopeful quote by Judge William Delker: “We don’t litigate in secret in this State.” With all due respect to Judge Delker, that is likely true in his Court but not entirely true throughout New Hampshire Courts.
We want to thank Gordon J. MacRae for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
You can review our ‘Op-Ed Guidelines‘ on the FAQ Page.
I am in my 30th year of incarceration, a result of what is commonly called a “trial penalty.” Pre-trial in 1994, I was three times offered in writing, a “plea deal” to plead guilty to charges orchestrated and investigated solely by Detective McLaughlin. The proffered deal was that I would serve a term of one to three years in prison if I would plead guilty. When I declined the deal, the offer was reduced during trial to one to two years. I declined again and was subsequently sentenced by Judge Arthur Brennan to a term of 33 to 67 years. Because the minimum term requires an admission of guilt, I am sentenced to 67 years.
It was a violation of Brady v Maryland that neither I nor my trial counsel were informed pre-trial that nine years earlier, in 1985, Detective James McLaughlin was cited for misconduct, “Falsification of Records.” This was by no means his only violation, as detailed below, but legal and judicial secrecy afforded to officers seeking removal from the Laurie List has effectively silenced most public input.
Various articles published at InDepthNH.org as a result of Freedom of Information Act requests cite instances of altered, erased, and missing evidentiary tape recording allegedly altered by Detective McLaughlin, as well as a number of other incidents of misconduct and challenged credibility. His handling of tape-recorded evidence and his proffered bribes to potential accusers have been primary concerns in his investigation of the case against me.
The following four links detail the misconduct leading up to my 1994 trial. They include documented allegations of falsification of records and evidence, witness tampering, attempted bribery, the subornation of perjury, and the use of police power to threaten a key witness into altering her testimony.
Most of these incidents and the signed statements of witnesses are cited in three of these links and were obtained by a former decorated FBI Special Agent who spent three years investigating this case. No New Hampshire judge would thus far allow this new evidence or testimony to come before any Court.
My sincere thanks for your attention to this matter.
Sent on behalf of:
Gordon J. MacRae #67546
NH State Prison
The post Night Cap: James F. McLaughlin and the New Hampshire Laurie List appeared first on Granite Grok.
Now that I have your attention, you will soon know why I put those two topics in the same sentence, but you will have to keep reading.
First, I will start with an old memory from around 2000.
While working in the Cablevision call center, I learned of Braintree Electric Light Department(BELD), another competitor for the cable TV market, but just in Braintree. It was the same situation as with RCN; it was one of several towns where the caller ID said “competitive area” to alert the CSR that specially scripted talking points were to be used, when applicable.
Here it is, nearly a quarter of a century later, and Eversource has competition, but it’s sneaky! More on that in a moment. Last year was an election year in Nashua, and our mayor had nine ward “town halls” earlier in the year. One of his David Letterman-style opening monologue talking points in his tooting-his-own-horn agenda was community power coming to Nashua. There was a small handful of communities participating, and I didn’t pay close attention to who they were, but I thought they were cities because this kind of pilot project tends to be in customer-dense places in the infrastructure.
I had no idea that community power (or programs with similar names) was coming soon to smaller towns elsewhere until I watched a video by Nurse Terese, a Loudon resident, on recent town elections, warrant articles, and related matters. When she mentioned community power, it sent my mind back to last year, Punxsutawney Phil-style!
In Nashua, community power was such that one had to opt out, which I did the day I received the (probably mandatory) notice of its debut. I’ll let the accountants talk numbers, but my reason for doing so was that it was an election year, and I hate the mayor and will be darned if I do anything just because he wants me to. I would have to follow up with Terese to confirm, but I think she said Loudon has the same situation with them.
Why not make it opt-in? You already know the answer as do all opposition members to bills on vax registry matters. It’s the battle for customers/voters/consumers or whatever you care to name the population that’s asleep at the wheel. THEY are the commodity both sides are fighting for. It’s also eerily similar to some HR and benefits things during open enrollment time: passive vs. active enrollment. Too many people are too lazy to spoon-feed themselves, but the time is now for those to recognize the deadly sin of laziness when it comes to passive enrollment because it’s all by design.
A good bill idea might be to make community power programs (or whatever they’re locally named) opt-in. My senator is the Energy chair and Terese’s is the vice chair. The four of us should have a talk about this.
The post “Community Power” and “Vax Bills!” – Did That Get Your Attention? appeared first on Granite Grok.
The Bidenitas are working diligently to hide their border malfeasance. Hard work the media is happy to help shoulder. But with a little bit of research and some time, it has proven (dare I say child’s play) to expose the deliberateness of their indifference, especially regarding “migrant” children.
Allison Dyer took to Rumble to show us, in just a few minutes, referencing a handful of key players, how the Biden administration is responsible. They allowed child trafficking, knew it was happening, and did nothing to prevent it. Children are little more than an abused side-effect of a policy choice.
Someone should call Child and Family Services and tie these bastards up in family court.
Check this out.
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The post #WhereAreTheChildren – Child Trafficking is a Democrat Policy Choice appeared first on Granite Grok.
