Thursday • May 2 • 2024
Vol.XVI • No.XVIII
Manchester, N.H.
California has led the nation in a climate-saving push for EV tractor-trailer trucks to replace diesel power. Fiction eventually runs aground on reality, in this case, the economic, environmental, and scientific facts that the California Legislature ignored when it implemented impossible mandates for gleaming fleets of EV trucks.
Despite glowing visions of clean power, transitioning the nation’s semi-fleet to EVs could simultaneously bankrupt the country financially and the Earth environmentally.
The Golden State’s ambitious 2022 regulatory mandates require all new cars, trucks, and SUVs sold in the region to produce “zero” emissions by 2035. Many states have followed suit, adding massive federal subsidy carrots and EPA tailpipe emission sticks. The illusion that these vehicles create “zero” emissions is rapidly dissolving as the environmental impacts of manufacturing and disposal are considered. Even if EVs were climate-saving rather than climate-destroying, the economic and logistical limitations of these fantastical mandates guarantee there will be no comprehensive EV truck fleet in California by 2035 – and probably never.
A Sisyphean PlanCalifornia’s hasty collage of environmental policies falters on several inconvenient but insurmountable truths. The electric grid cannot handle the load. The input materials required to comply with the mandates cannot be procured. The astronomical costs are economy-destroying. And when the true expenses of externalized pollution are calculated, EV trucks do not measure up to the promised environmental gains.
The nation’s electric grid, a necessary infrastructure to charge the new EV semis, is fragile, insufficient to carry the additional burden, and competes with other growing demands for electricity from data centers and renewables manufacturing facilities. Energy is required to source and mine the material to build the trucks, energize them on the road, and break them down to reclaim the materials at disposal. Heavy batteries reduce truck-carrying capacity, meaning many more EV trucks are required to replace an equal fleet capacity of diesel vehicles – more trucks, more energy, and more clogged freeways. If actually achieved, California’s plan would increase electricity demand just for EV trucks by an estimated 57%. A single truck charging station is predicted to draw as much electricity as 5,000 homes.
The manufacturing inputs necessary to construct imagined EV trucks were apparently ignored when California lawmakers decided to run the economy by fantasy. Much like mandating universal incomes without economic resources, EV truck fleets cannot be magically created from thin air and a rosy pipe dream. A study by the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) suggests that implementing California’s plan nationally (as envisioned by the Biden administration and the multi-state regulatory push for implementation) would require “tens of millions of tons of cobalt, graphite, lithium, and nickel … that would take as much as 35 years at current global production rates and nearly 65% of global reserves of these minerals.” That’s a lot of mining and transportation – the rare earth industry had better get truckin’!
Unaffordable DiktatsEconomic reality is mathematically grounding despite vain technocratic visions. The costs of all those rare materials mean the price of an EV truck is approximately double that of a traditional semi and the per-mile energy cost once on the road. Truck fleets operating on slim margins will have to spike rates sharply just to break even. Rates for all electric customers will skyrocket precipitously: The California Public Utility Commission increased electric rates for the state’s largest utility by 13% in 2023 (half of the 26% revenue increase requested by the utility to meet infrastructure needs).
The inflationary impacts of this EV truck boondoggle have gone unconsidered, but the impacts on consumers will be enormous. To install the charging stations for EV trucks alone would cost the nation an estimated $35 billion. Perhaps California will incur that debt to augment its current massive deficit, but the US deficit is already bloated by the oxymoronically monikered Inflation Reduction Act, which was largely a grocery list of renewable energy and EV spending projects. The fact that non-renewable, coal-plant-dependent, polluting EVs are profoundly regressive and disproportionately burden working-class Americans does not bode well for economic health.
EV Trucks Have No ClothesThe list of insurmountable realities that evaded California’s naked emperors in fashioning pie-in-the-sky EV truck mandates demonstrates that ideological whimsy, no matter how sincere, cannot overcome reality: The impossible fantasy pollutes more than it saves.
A 2023 study by the Manhattan Institute determined that EVs require far more upfront emissions to manufacture than conventional vehicles, that many modern gasoline-powered engines emit very little particulate matter, and that EVs burn through tire rubber much faster. These problems are amplified when applied to trucks (or tractors). The ubiquitous cacophony that EVs necessarily reduce carbon emissions is in serious doubt. The study notes:
“Accurately estimating the actual quantities of specific fuels used is complicated by the labyrinth of global suppliers and the lack of transparency with many of the companies. Without knowing all that, no one knows the ultimate real-world emissions from making an EV…
“The realistic potential of 43 tons of upstream emissions combined with operating realities of 24 tons of downstream emissions (over a vehicle lifetime) yields a total of 67 tons of EV CO2. This is 15% more than the 59-ton baseline for a comparable gasoline-fueled SUV.”
The inconvenient paradox of California’s mandates for EV trucks is that they likely do not spare the planet more carbon dioxide – let alone the toxins spewed from mines, the lithium batteries with no plan for recycling or disposal, the flickering electric grid, or the plunging of the marginalized into deeper marginalization.
It is to be hoped that in view of the myriad real-life impediments blocking their best-fantasized plans, EV emperors will glance in the mirror and pick up some fig leaves.
John Klar is an Attorney, farmer, and author. Mostly farmer… And Regular Contributor to GraniteGrok and VermontGrok.
The post Fleets of EV Trucks Are an Impossible Dream appeared first on Granite Grok.
Yesterday (March 28th), the Biden-Regime held a “record-breaking” fundraiser … $26 million … for the PINO, President-In-Name-Only Joe Biden’s reelection, starring the de facto President, Barack Obama, and Bill Clinton. And not a word by the Regime-Media about the multiple times Bill Clinton has been credibly accused of sexual assault by different women.
Nor any word about Bill Clinton’s sojourns to Epstein’s island.
In a normal country Bill Clinton would be politically toxic. In the Police State of America, he is a rock star. The Left has succeeded in making the abnormal normal. I know … I know … “focus on the fiscal issues” … “workforce housing” … “New Hampshire Advantage” … “Slava Ukraine!”
The cockroach, the sniffer and the rapist. https://t.co/Cm3cYVn7w9
— Juanita Broaddrick (@atensnut) March 29, 2024
The Regime-Media has carried water for the Clintons for decades. A new and perhaps even more ominous development is a sitting federal judge going on CNN to attack Donald Trump and this judge’s totally unprecedented, unethical conduct being “reported” as proof of the danger posed by Trump. War is Peace. Freedom is Slavery. Ignorance is Strength.
Open your eyes, bitter-clingers. America is neither a Republic nor a Democracy. It is a corrupt Police State that holds sham elections and pretends that the abnormal is normal.
Sitting Judge Goes on CNN to Complain About Alleged Threat Donald Trump Poses to 'Democracy'
UNBELIEVABLE. A sitting federal judge went on CNN Thursday night to excoriate former President Donald Trump.
Judge Reggie Walton, a former President George W. Bush appointee, talked… pic.twitter.com/TfltloNfP7
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) March 29, 2024
The post Normalizing The Abnormal … Bill Clinton And Judge Walton appeared first on Granite Grok.
Planet Fitness (PF) lets men use the women’s locker room. However you feel sexually at that moment, you go girl, or boy, or whatever. It’s Let’s Make a Deal – pick whatever door you like. Men’s, women’s, pick one or both. PFs got your back, even after last year, when a “woman” exposed himself to a teenage girl taking a shower.
Discomfort is not a reason to change the policy.
That’s their position after a woman snapped a pic of a guy (sorry, a woman who looks like a man) shaving (like a man) in the women’s locker room not far (allegedly) from a young teenage girl.
Planet Fitness, which for years has allowed gender-confused men in women’s locker rooms, came back in the news this month when an Alaskan Planet Fitness member named Patricia Silva shared online a video she took of a man who “identifies” as a woman shaving in a women’s locker room. She said that at the time of the incident, a girl estimated to be 12 years old was sitting in a corner, wrapped in a towel, and “freaked out” by having an adult male in her changing area.
I don’t know what he was shaving, and for some, that might matter, but not to Planet Fitness unless you can prove they are not trans (members claiming trans status may only be asked to leave “if it is confirmed that a member is acting in bad faith” and is not sincerely gender confused.”), and good luck with that and PF knows it.
Libs of TikTok also shared a page from Planet Fitness’s operations manual, which states that “Some members may feel uncomfortable with a transgender member using the same locker room facilities, bathrooms, showers, or other facilities/programs separated by sex,” but “this discomfort is not a reason to deny access to the transgender members.” It calls on staff to resolve such situations by attempting to “foster a climate of understanding,” i.e., transgender accommodation.
And the climate of understanding how uncomfortable women and girls might be sharing safe spaces with men? Suck it up, honey, and to be fair, you don’t have to work out there. If you don’t like the policy, take your business someplace else. And it’s not a secret policy. So, my first question is, who lets their teenage daughter work out there? What woman would work out there if this bothers them, but they do, so it’s on them.
And PF does have a no-pictures policy – you are not to photograph other gym members (with a nod from me to the hopefully unintentional double-entendre). You can show them your member, but pictures are a no-go. If that is going to be awkward or cause discomfort, you can (again) take a walk, which is what some of PFs investors did after that latest story broke. The company lost 400 million, about 6.8% of its over five (now 4.9) billion valuation in a few short days. Folks are alluding to Bud Light-like consequences.
I doubt it.
Men sharing women’s spaces has been their policy for years. If the naked guy showing off his “membership” to a nude 15-year-old in a shower failed to make a dent in market value, this isn’t moving the needle enough to make a difference. But it could. If a minor was raped and that actually got escape velocity into viral internet space, PF might have some ‘splainin’ to do. But until such time, men who want to look at girls and women “cleaning up” after a workout can swing on in as a lady of the moment and get a little something for their pleasure. That is, after all, the problem. It is not legitimately gender-confused folks; it is predators and weirdos who make it their mission to cause misdemeanor discomfort with the risk of felony discomfort, after which it’s too late.
But again, it’s not a secret. If you are up for the risk, go for it. If not, work out somewhere else.
The post Could Shareholder “Discomfort” … Be Reason Enough to Ban Men From Women’s Locker Rooms? appeared first on Granite Grok.
“They’re good people.” “We just disagree on some issues.” “We’re all Americans.” “United, we stand!” Blah, blah, blah. So many in the GOP are just plain STUPID. Do you really believe that it is just happenstance or coincidence that the Biden Regime chose Easter as Transgender Day of Visibility?
They could have chosen any other day of the year. And yet they chose Easter …… because they hate you; they despise you; they find you contemptible.
They … the Woke-Communists … are NOT good people. They do NOT see you as their fellow Americans … they see you as the enemy, as heretics, as threats to the Woke-Communist utopia they believe they are building. They have NO interest in “unity” … they seek power by any means, which they intend to use to make you modern-day serfs. That whole “you will own nothing and be happy” thing.
Welcome to Year Zero … when the Biden Regime decreed that Easter will no longer be a Christian holiday.
The White House also officially designated Easter Sunday as “Transgender Day of Visibility.” Such utter contempt for Christians and their beliefs. https://t.co/grIfswYHZq
— Kaylee McGhee White (@KayleeDMcGhee) March 30, 2024
I know .. I know … “focus on the fiscal issues,” “New Hampshire Advantage,” legalize it,” “workforce housing,” “Slava Ukraine,” “Slava Ukraine.” Or so the NHGOP “leaders” tell us.
The post It’s Not Easter Anymore … It’s Transgender Day Of Visibility appeared first on Granite Grok.
The rising interest in modern-day fasting always struck me as a multi-agency international psyop meant to get people used to the idea of there not being enough food to go around—nothing on the store shelves. No worries. Fasting is good for you.
A vestige of the pandemic era, in case the masked and visored Grub Hubber got waylaid by pirates en route to your house with a brown bag of something the government allowed to stay open. Famous people are fasting, so it must be good,
Fasting is good. Fasting is great. That’s why there’s nothing on my plate.
So, what’s with this research suggesting that intermittent fasting could, in fact, be damaging to long-term health? “Those who only eat during eight hours of the day are at almost twice the risk of heart attack and stroke later in life, a study found.”
Do they also happen to be double-jabbed? And how about turbo cancers?
Now early research involved 20,000 adults found those who followed a time-restricted eating plan were 91 per cent more likely to die from cardiovascular disease.
The trendy dieting schedule did not reduce participants chances of death from any cause, according to the findings being presented at the American Heart Association’s Lifestyle Scientific Sessions 2024 conference this week.
Many who follow a time-restricted eating diet follow a 16:8 eating schedule, where they eat all their foods in an 8-hour window and fast for the remaining 16 hours each day.
They found this was associated with a greater risks of dying from cardiovascular disease when compared to people eating during 12- and 16-hour windows.
Those with existing heart disease or cancer were particularly at risk, they noted.
So, millions of jabbed who are at risk of heart disease and cancer because someone told them it would be good for them are being told they are at increased risk if they embrace modern fasting. Skepticism is not unwarranted.
Remember the early days of COVID? It caused everything, and nearly every malady (especially death) ended with a covid diagnosis. That was about pimping more cases and more hysteria for more control while more money got laundered into health clinics and hospitals. Now that it is increasingly common knowledge that the only effect of the covid “vaccines” are its adverse side effects, this appears to be little more than a way for the Jabbernaughts to blame them on everything else.
You didn’t die from vaccine side effects. You died with them, complicated by all that fasting combined with one or more charlatan hedgerow cures involving vitamin D.
And fasting from government narratives.
The post Fasting on Fasting or Something. appeared first on Granite Grok.
In a recent poll, voters were asked to rank the accomplishments of Joe Biden in his first term. The greatest response at 38% was NOTHING. Joe Biden may have summed it all up when he tweeted on Thursday, “I’ll tell you this: There is a difference between the two candidates in this election.” You are damn right. Joe.
Let’s look at how different.
Joe is an octogenarian who is obviously mentally challenged, a corrupt leader of the most prominent crime family in America, a man who has destroyed our sovereignty, does not support law and order, and has destroyed our economy and energy independence.
I will stipulate that Joe Biden is our President. There is not a single Biden or Democrat policy I can support, but he is still my President. What concerns Conservatives is that we see nothing presidential about Joe Biden, and common sense will tell you what kind of mental and physical acuity Joe will have when he is 86 at the end of a second term. Compounding our concern is whether Democrats deny or ignore Biden’s frailty and the limitations that prevent him from being a full-time functioning chief executive.
Biden’s surrogates claim he is energized and easily handles his aggressive schedule crisscrossing the country. These trips and visits are all campaign related and wholly choreographed. All of his comments are read off the teleprompter, and there is little in the way of question-and-answer sessions with the media corps. In contrast, it is challenging to keep up with Trump. Between his court appearances in different parts of the country, rallies, and public appearances, it is easy to see the physical and mental differences between these two men.
Then, there is the content or appearance of the activities that draw comparison. Two examples are the two candidates traveled to Texas to visit the border. Trump went to the hot spot of Eagle Pass, and Biden went to quiet El Paso. This week, Biden and Trump were in New York on the same day. Trump attended the wake of Officer Diller, who had been killed while on duty, as Biden participated in a fundraiser with Obama and Clinton.
Donald Trump is the undisputed leader of the Republican Party. He is setting policy and not bending a knee to any faction of the Party. On the other hand, Biden does not indicate that he is in a leadership role for the Democrat Party or the White House. Biden is the Manchurian President working hard to assuage the Radicals of his Party rather than doing what is suitable for the American people. The pressure from the far Left is why Biden cannot even say Officer Diller’s name or call his widow to offer condolences. To do so would be a show of support for the Police, and he would feel the wrath of the Squad. It is this same pressure that is causing Biden to fracture our relationship with Israel.
Yes, Joe, we have two very different candidates, and if the American people can see the reality of what you are doing to harm our country, Trump will coast to victory in November. Only the gaslighting of the Democrat Party and manipulation of the election will put you back in the White House and the further destruction of this great country.
The post Biden’s Biggest Accomplishment Is Nothing appeared first on Granite Grok.
California and a few other states have already ended single-family zoning statewide. And that includes neighborhoods that were ALREADY single-family when people bought into them.
Please Submit Group communications or Press Releases to steve@granitegrok.com.
Submission is not a guarantee of publication – Publication is not an endorsement.
Email immediately and tell ALL Senators to VOTE NO on HB 1291, HB 1399, and your NH Reps to vote NO on SB 538. Email Senators@leg.state.nh.us
These bills attack single-family neighborhoods and promote “new urbanism,” a movement based on the “climate change” agenda.
The HBs were heard before a ’special’ committee stacked with their own sponsors and rubber-stamped instead of being heard by the usual House Committee!
All three bills would be dangerous to single-family neighborhoods. Some Reps want to impose a top-down state-controlled “one-size-fits-all” approach to zoning as opposed to your voice and your vote. And they think this protects our rights! To the contrary, it removes our choices and lowers property values. As any realtor will tell you, the most important factor in the value of property is location, location, and location!
Attacking established neighborhoods is not going to remedy any “housing shortage”, which ultimately is not even the state’s responsibility.
One can only imagine why Republicans Reps Yokela, Osborne, Sweeney, and Alexander have fallen for this socialistic approach, which is similar to what is promoted by any number of left-wing NGOs such as @StrongTowns
Strong Towns stated mission is to “replace the Suburban Experiment.”
InDepthNH.org was right: “It is interesting that those who scream the loudest about individual freedom and personal rights are so quick to take them away from others and do not see that as government overreach.”
Here are the 67 Reps who voted with Democrats to take away your property rights:
Republican Votes (67)
Alexander, Joe(R) Hills. 29
Ankarberg, Aidan(R) Straf. 7
Aures, Cyril(R) Merr. 13
Avellani, Lino(R) Carr. 4
Aylward, Deborah(R) Merr. 5
Bailey, Glenn(R) Straf. 2
Bean, Harry(R) Belk. 6
Berezhny, Lex(R) Graf. 11
Berry, Ross(R) Hills. 39
Burnham, Claudine(R) Straf. 2
Connor, James(R) Straf. 19
Costable, Michael(R) Carr. 8
Cushman, Leah(R) Hills. 28
Donnelly, Tanya(R) Rock. 25
Doucette, Fred(R) Rock. 25
Drago, Mike(R) Rock. 4
Dunn, Ron(R) Rock. 16
Gerhard, Jason(R) Merr. 25
Granger, Michael(R) Straf. 2
Griffin, Gerald(R) Hills. 42
Harb, Robert(R) Rock. 20
Harvey-Bolia, Juliet(R) Belk. 3
Hobson, Deb(R) Rock. 14
Hoell, J.R.(R) Merr. 27
Janigian, John(R) Rock. 25
Janvrin, Jason(R) Rock. 40
King, Bill(R) Hills. 43
Kofalt, Jim(R) Hills. 32
Ladd, Rick(R) Graf. 5
Lascelles, Richard(R) Hills. 14
Layon, Erica(R) Rock. 13
Leavitt, John(R) Merr. 10
Lekas, Alicia(R) Hills. 38
Lekas, Tony(R) Hills. 38
Lynn, Bob(R) Rock. 17
Mannion, Dennis(R) Rock. 25
Mannion, Tom(R) Hills. 1
Mazur, Lisa(R) Hills. 44
McConkey, Mark(R) Carr. 8
McDonnell, Valerie(R) Rock. 25
McGough, Tim(R) Hills. 12
McGuire, Carol(R) Merr. 27
McGuire, Dan(R) Merr. 14
McLean, Mark(R) Hills. 15
McMahon, Charles(R) Rock. 17
Moffett, Michael(R) Merr. 4
Murphy, Michael(R) Coos 6
Newton, Clifford(R) Straf. 6
Notter, Jeanine(R) Hills. 12
Osborne, Jason(R) Rock. 2
Perez, Kristine(R) Rock. 16
Phillips, Emily(R) Rock. 7
Polozov, Yury(R) Merr. 10
Popovici-Muller, Daniel(R) Rock. 17
Potucek, John(R) Rock. 13
Proulx, Mark(R) Hills. 15
Prudhomme-O’Brien, Katherine(R) Rock. 13
Quaratiello, Arlene(R) Rock. 18
Santonastaso, Matthew(R) Ches. 18
Smith, Jonathan(R) Carr. 5
Spillane, James(R) Rock. 2
Stone, Jonathan(R) Sull. 8
Sweeney, Joe(R) Rock. 25
Tenczar, Jeffrey(R) Hills. 1
Vose, Michael(R) Rock. 5
Wallace, Scott(R) Rock. 8
Yokela, Josh(R) Rock.
Agree? Disagree? Send Op-Eds and Rebuttles to steve@granitegrok.com. You can review our ‘Op-Ed Guidelines’ on the FAQ Page.
The post Night Cap: Two Dangerous Bills Must Be Stopped appeared first on Granite Grok.
This is an attempt to “break out” memes, links, and my commentary about the situation in Israel / the Middle East so as to not overload the standard meme posts that I do. My last “normal” meme post. In these Israel-related posts I don’t just have memes such, but lots of informative links as well as hopefully-insightful commentary.
Note that this is not meant to be a day-by-day update about what’s going on. Rather, to highlight uncomfortable truths about the actual nature of the conflict, deep-history background, and so on, as well as to show the at-present immutable nature of Islamic hatred of Jews and why that matters to today’s events.
Also note that these posts generally do not repeat information (e.g., specific links or memes) – so there is a lot of stuff in prior posts. Please do check them out too if this is a topic of interest to you. In reverse chronological order:
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Still More Links, Memes, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Memes, Links, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Ongoing Memes, Links, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: More Memes, Links, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Even More Memes, Links, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: More Memes, Links, and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Memes and Commentary – Granite Grok
Israel: Memes and Commentary – Granite Grok
With some Israel-related materials here:
Meme Overflow – Granite Grok
Don’t forget my special report on the *cough cough* hardships of pre-Oct 7 “Concentration Camp Gaza”:
Pre-War “Concentration Camp” Gaza – Granite Grok
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Show the Video, Israel › American Greatness (amgreatness.com)
Force the Squad, the maladjusted kids taking over campuses, and the sympathetic or cowardly administrations of America’s universities to confront it all. Just as Eisenhower marched German civilians through the concentration camps after American forces liberated them to confront the evil done in their name.
…
It is no longer enough for Israel to show the October 7 video to journalists, governments, and other select audiences. Everyone must see what Hamas and the Gazan civilians who followed Hamas into Israel did on October 7 and the glee and sheer ecstasy they brought to their butchery.
Related:
Gaza: Truths Behind All the Lies › American Greatness (amgreatness.com)
More evidence that Gaza death statistics are not close to accurate ~ Elder Of Ziyon – Israel News
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TOP OF THE FOLD
This excellent beat-down of the Boston Globe appears here (links in the original):
Boston Globe Media, I want to bring to your attention the fact that I am offended by, insulted by, and fed up with the Hamas propaganda masquerading as “journalism” that you are publishing on a daily basis.
Take the article below.
Let’s start with the title, “Heavy fighting rages around Gaza’s biggest hospital as Israel raids it again.” Talk about misleading. A more appropriate headline would be “Dozens of Hamas terrorists have, once again embedded themselves among civilians at Shifa Hospital. Multiple terrorists killed by Israeli forces.” I believe that the main point of the article is that the terrorists are again using a hospital (where they previously brought and held Israelis and those working in Israel that they had kidnapped) to launch attacks on Israel and to use innocent civilians as human shields. https://lnkd.in/eT5shpfU
Next, let’s focus on the “journalism.” The authors claim that “The military said it had killed 50 Hamas militants in the hospital, but it could not be independently confirmed that the dead were combatants.” This phrasing suggests that the authors can confirm the deaths but not that the dead are terrorists.
The Globe also reports the Israeli claim that it “raided Shifa . . . because Hamas fighters had grouped in the hospital and were directing attacks from inside,” but states that this “claim could not be confirmed, and the Hamas media office said all those killed in the assault were civilians.” However, the Globe admits, toward the end of the article, that the Gaza Health Ministry (which is Hamas) “doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.” So, the Globe knows that Hamas is not a reliable source on the identity of those killed, right?
In a section under the header “New Shifa siege” the Globe calls into question the veracity of Israeli claims that Hamas “maintained an elaborate command center within and beneath the facility.” While acknowledging that the Israeli military “revealed a tunnel leading to some underground rooms, as well as weapons it said were found inside the hospital,” the Globe goes on to weigh the trustworthiness of this “evidence” and states that evidence of current Hamas use of Shifa hospital “fell short of the earlier claims, and critics accused the army of recklessly endangering the lives of civilians.”
What kind of evidence is the Globe demanding from Hamas before reporting its version of events? Why is evidence (like video evidence) provided by Israel continually characterized as “unable to be verified.” The Globe needs to do a better job of distinguishing facts from fiction and to stop serving as a mouthpiece for terrorists.
https://lnkd.in/eBztWQda
It is my working hypothesis that it’s not merely Jew hatred that fuels this actual twisting / spinning of events, but racism. These people, these suuuuuupergeniuses, literally cannot fathom that “uneducated brown people” could fool them.
Wile E Coyote, Super Genius
Also:
Journalistic Duty in Israel Palestine News – Tablet Magazine
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Israel Has Created a New Standard for Urban Warfare. Why Will No One Admit It? | Opinion (newsweek.com)
In many ways, Israel has had to abandon this established playbook in order to prevent civilian harm. The IDF has telegraphed almost every move ahead of time so civilians can relocate, nearly always ceding the element of surprise. This has allowed Hamas to reposition its senior leaders (and the Israel hostages) as needed through the dense urban terrain of Gaza and the miles of underground tunnels it’s built.
No nation has ever done what Israel has done trying to avoid civilian casualties. Period. Related:
Israeli soldier sentenced to 18 months for killing Palestinian – YouTube
Video. Flip the situation – can you imagine a Hamas soldier being jailed for killing an Israeli? More:
Israel Faces Global ‘Triple Standard’ Criticism | United with Israel
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Tens of thousands of Gazans begging to go to Egypt. Palestinians outside Gaza, NGOs and national leaders say, sorry, stay put for your own good. ~ Elder Of Ziyon – Israel News
So where is the condemnation of Egypt?
WAR & WHEN WILL IT END?
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How Palestine rejected offer to have its own state 5 times in the past – Law and Society Magazine.
Remember 2:191. Drive them out from where they drove you out. Reconquering Israel is a Koranic imperative.
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Raconteur Report: FAFO
Rather colorful, but on point.
What you’re looking at is not genocide, it’s consequences. Gravity, working.
You’re getting to see what the Third Punic War looked like, and the reason Rome never fought a Fourth Punic War.
ISLAM: PRACTICES, HISTORY, AND MENTALITY
Terror Attack in Jordan Valley Wounds 3 Israelis, Gunman Fled Scene | United with Israel
A school bus. Say, isn’t attacking obvious civilians a war crime? But you must remember… to Islam, if you oppose Islam you are in the “House of War” and therefore are a legitimate target. Recall Hamas’ leader saying “We don’t target civilians”? That’s because every Israeli is treading on what they consider their land, and therefore is a soldier against them.
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They’re using our own rules and ethics against us.
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Gazans celebrating as captives arrive. There are no innocent Gazans.
https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/gazan-crowd-exhults-as-vehicles-come-back-from-israel.mp4
Terror tunnel entrance in a mosque.
https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/a-mosque-with-a-terror-tunnel-shaft.mp4
Hostage describes how Gazan nurses celebrated when captives were brought in.
https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/gazan-nurses-cheered-hostage-arrival.mp4
ATROCITIES
From here:
The Daily Mail reveals:
New DNA evidence shows that Israeli hostage Liri Albag among other captives, were held in this room of a Palestinian family in Gaza.
Yes, “innocent Palestinian civilians” were holding hostages in their houses. #BringThemHome
Her being kidnapped and held is not the only atrocity; the other atrocity is the apparently-willing complicity of the population to participate in this. More:
Over 70 Percent of “Palestinians” Support Hamas’s October 7 Terror Attack: Poll – Geller Report
With Palestinians, there is no need to exaggerate: they really support murdering random Jews ~ Elder Of Ziyon – Israel News
By a supermajority, there are no innocent Gazans. From here:
Al Aqasa tonight – Palestinians chant in favor of Hamas. It has NEVER been a holy place for them! If they tried chanting this in Mecca, the Saudis would throw them in jail!
https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/in-praise-of-hamas-in-al-aqsa.mp4
—
What do they think about Oct. 7?
https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/what-palis-think-of-oct-7.mp4
Do I weep for the children? Yes. I’m not heartless. But given some of the many things I’ve posted about their kindergarten classes, lessons, and graduation plays – what I’ve posted about their school books and maps and kids’ open statements – I’ll quote Solomon Kane (creation of writer Robert E. Howard):
“[W]hen a man sets foot on an adder he asks not its size”.
What venom this young girl has:
WATCH: ‘I want to stab a Jew,’ young girl tells her teacher father | The Times of Israel
—
Gaza Terrorist Confesses to Raping Israeli Woman on Oct 7, Provides Horrifying Details | United with Israel
Video. More:
Deafening silence from feminists about Hamas sexual violence | World Israel News
How much evidence do you need of Hamas sexual abuse? – editorial – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)
ON INTERSECTIONALITY / LEFTIST SUPPORT
From here:
Columbia University’s COO and General Counsel stammer when asked whether Hamas is a terror organization.
They also refuse to act against support for terrorism on campus.
It’s a long recording, but trust me, it’s worth it.
Columbia’s COO and General Counsel stammer when asked whether Hamas is a terror organization.
—
In America vs. in Israel – most Americans don’t have a clue
https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/in-america-in-israel.mp4
Most Americans have stability privilege. They literally cannot imagine life like this. Oh that’s just not possible. They’re TWENTY-NINERS.
No German who died before 1930 would have believed the Holocaust possible.
– Walter E. Williams
Hence, TWENTY-NINERS.
PALLYWOOD & MEDIA DISTORTIONS/LIES IN GENERAL
Countering ‘Pro-Palestine’ Propaganda Part 5: Gaza is an Open-Air Prison – A.J. Caschetta (jewishworldreview.com)
Good tools. Also, remember my piece – above – about “Concentration Camp Gaza”. More – video there too.
The Gaza you don’t see.
On Oct 6, 2023 Gaza was beautiful. It had all the potential to be a tourist heaven.
With billions of aid money for a brighter future, Gaza had the resources to become the next Singapore and we, Israelis, were rooting for them. We even granted permits for Gazans to work in Israel to create better lives for their families.
Instead of moving forward and building a prosperous society, Gaza chose to hate the Jews.
I hate seeing all this beauty disappear. I wish my neighbors would prioritize the safety of their children over killing mine.
I wish Gaza would have chosen a ceasefire on Oct 6, 2023.
—
From here:
An interesting twist in the Palestinian-Qatari blood plot about the rape of Palestinian women in Shifaa Hospital by Israeli soldiers
After the rumors that Jamila Alhassi published yesterday with the help of the Aljazeera Qatari network spread, in the last few hours Gazan surfers on leading Facebook accounts began to demand on their own initiative verification of the details of the case.
The surprising reason: the rumors about the rape of the women caused many families in the north of the Gaza Strip to move to the south of the Gaza Strip out of fear that their daughters would be raped.
I read several testimonies about many families who moved south from Gaza following Elhasi’s story.
Then I read the following amazing post on the part of Azati who has a Facebook account with about ten thousand followers:
“All the reports about the rape of Palestinian women in the raid on the Shafa’ hospital originate from the information provided by Mrs. Jamila Alhassi in an interview broadcast by the Aljazeera network. Alhassi is an unknown lady. The additions that the rape victim was a pregnant woman came in response to a photo from an anonymous Facebook account. The news It can be true and it can be false… In a way, a significant number of families I met today in Wadi Gaza stated that these reports caused them to be displaced from the north of the Gaza Strip, towards the south. I do not believe that we should contribute to emptying the north of the Gaza Strip of residents in this way that an organization used” The Haganah” who drove away the residents of the Galilee villages by spreading rumors and sowing panic…. and killing and terrorizing and committing sexual crimes….
In view of these reports we need to be more alert, aware and professional… and ask who? and where? and when? and why? and how? Questions that need to be answered. It is not possible that 24 hours have passed and the reports have not been clarified and no verified news has arrived… and perhaps Alhassi’s words were just a wrong spew…”And on this it will be said: He catches the wise in their own craftiness’.
The Palestinians know their goods very intimately…
(Abu Ali)
—
From here:
Israeli Arab Muslim prays on Ramadan while serving in the Israel Defense Forces.
Last time I checked, an actual Apartheid state didn’t have members of the “oppressed” serving in the military. Reminds me of this video:
An Arab Muslim in the Israeli Army
—
LinkedIn post about the amount of food getting into Gaza:
Video. And:
This is double, 2 times, 100% MORE food than it is necessary to feed all of Gaza for the 170 days of this war.
Israel has been flooding Gaza with food and aid coming from many different countries.
(Despite being under no obligation to under international law)
The problem, the bottleneck is that the UN is failing to distribute said aid and the pace that Israel is providing it..
Oh, and Hamas is stealing the aid.
So to sum it up:
– 80% MORE food trucks are entering Gaza compared to before Hamas started the war.
– Double the amount of food needed to feed the population has entered Gaza.
– Even the UN confirmed a “significant scale-up in humanitarian efforts…facilitated by the Israeli authorities”.Don’t believe me? Check for yourself.
And then tell me, is Israel starving the Gazans?
—
Hamas, Al Jazeera silently retract claims of IDF soldiers raping Gazans – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)
The damage was done. Now they can retract.
TERROR COMING HERE? TO THE WEST?
Vicious Jew Hater Nerdeen Kiswani at “Emergency” Anti-Israel Demo: “It’s Not Enough to Hate Israel In Your Hearts! Our Anger and Rage is Not Enough!” – Geller Report
Definitely here given what’s shown in this link. More at the same site:
There Are Now Tens of Millions of Muslim Migrants in Europe, and the EU Commissioner Wants More – Geller Report
—
Dennis Prager comments on the ill effects of importing millions of Muslims to western countries.
https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/prager.mp4
Like I said in a column castigating pro-migration Jews:
An Open Letter to Pro-Migration / SJW Jews – Urban Scoop
I used to be able to find this with a simple search on bing. Now, no. Odd, that. I have to go to Urban Scoop and then look.
TREADING ON THE POLITICAL
Kamala Harris Threatens Israel With ‘Consequences’ if Rafah Terror Stronghold Stormed (legalinsurrection.com)
Thus highlighting the dangers of Israel – or ANY country – being dependent on America. Aid always comes with strings attached. And more:
Is Biden’s Re-Election Campaign Driving US Foreign Policy? | Power Line (powerlineblog.com)
My Magic Eight-Ball says YES.
David Harsanyi: Yes, Israel Is Now a Partisan Issue | The Patriot Post
Biden The Terrible Pushing for Mass Murdering Jihadis to Rule the Gaza Strip – Geller Report
Biden Regime Considering New Move to Stab Israel in the Back | Frontpage Mag
Meanwhile, you will be absolutely unshocked to learn that Old Joe’s new rule [on arms sales] is being applied selectively. The Sun notes that “In reality, arms are sold to foes and allies alike in all five continents, with little notice of rights violations. Mr. Biden urged Congress last month to approve the sale of F-16s to Turkey, even as it massacres Kurds in Iraq and Syria.” No one asked Jake Sullivan at Monday’s press briefing if arms sales to Turkey would be cut off.
—
Smartest Thing a Liberal Said Last Week | Power Line (powerlineblog.com)
Fetterman’s starting to warm up. And while there is ZERO DOUBT he won by fraud, I’m sure a lot of the fraudsters are in anguish about helping him win. Remember what happened in PA:
—
Disgrace at the U.N. – Bill Whittle
Commentary on the UN vote by one of my favorites. And that’s a convenient excuse to repeat two other videos by him on Israel:
TERRORIST NATION (youtube.com)
Bill Whittle on holy war against Israel ( & liberals’ unwillingness to acknowledge & confront it) (youtube.com)
And narrated by him:
Debunking the Palestine Lie (youtube.com)
MISCELLANEOUS
Mega Purim Cartoon and Meme Dump (15 of them!) ~ Elder Of Ziyon – Israel News
Memes can get through cognitive barriers in a way that pure facts and logic and evidence cannot. And another meme on “Apartheid”:
GIVING SUPPORT TO ISRAEL
You can’t go wrong with a donation here:
Connections Israel
And please share this post far and wide. There’s a lot of info here that many people don’t know. Post it, email it, share widely.
Also, if you’re willing:
Buy Me a Coffee
A CONCLUDING THOUGHT FOR THIS POST
California Synagogue Leases Space to Mosque to ‘Ease Tensions,’ Mosque Then Features Pro-Hamas Speaker – Geller Report
Magical thinking. Like I keep saying:
Trying to please your enemies does not turn them into friends.
For example, per here (partial quote):
IDF/security “experts”, who should have resigned on Oct. 8th for their absolute failure in protecting Israelis from the very preventable horrific attack/massacre on Oct. 7th, are now recommending to empower local Gazans and give them guns, to protect themselves from Hamas.
Here again we see how blind they are to reality and the tribal culture of the Middle East. Those guns will not be used against Hamas, but against us Jews!
I would not be surprised if some of these IDF/security experts are against the policy to allow more Israeli citizens to own guns.
Or this:
Terrorists who perpetrate attacks are not who ‘experts’ say they are – The Jerusalem Post (jpost.com)
From 1996 to 1999, relief worker Nasra Hassan conducted interviews with some 250 Palestinians who either attempted to carry out suicide bombings, trained others for such attacks, or were related to deceased bombers.
Writing in The New Yorker, she reported that “none of [the bombers] were uneducated, desperately poor, simple-minded, or depressed. Many were middle class and, unless they were fugitives, held paying jobs… Two were the sons of millionaires.”
…
By the time he was done, he had concluded that there is “no significant relationship” between the economic conditions in a given country and the rise of terrorists there.
Given all of the above, why do so many “experts,” politicians, and pundits still stubbornly cling to the utterly unscientific idea that poverty causes terrorism?
The concluding paragraph is spot-on. Wishful thinking. We’re dealing with delusional people. Like this fool:
“Jewish Voice for Peace” rabbi suggests Haman wouldn’t have hated Jews if he had cultural sensitivity training ~ Elder Of Ziyon – Israel News
As opposed to someone with an understanding of reality:
https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/eu-mp-on-two-state-solution.mp4
You cannot “coexist” with someone sworn to kill you.
The post Israel: Ongoing Links, Memes, and Commentary appeared first on Granite Grok.
Dare we turn this recent embarrassment, when our American senses, awareness, and skeptical nature slipped away, into a useful learning exercise? We need to fall back and regroup so as to refresh our thoughts and dormant loyalties. Given today’s circumstances, this may be more of a pressing need than a leisurely pastime.
Roughly four years have passed since those inherent traits were put on hold and when the Chinese virus immobilized our thoughts and actions through ample doses of fearful messaging and warnings. This look back shows how fear must have numbed our senses as obvious contradictions were ignored.
Contradiction one, attention and then vaccines were directed to the least vulnerable, America’s younger school-aged students, and all the while, Americans knew that they were the most immune! Even schools and churches were indefinitely closed, which altered many family routines.
Number two, it was a period when free Americans were semi-ordered to mask up for protections that were improbable with such papered gimmicks. In time, this exercise also developed a political preference since it was assumed that the wearers were more considerate of others than were the non-wearers, who were considered to be of that brutish MAGA crowd! Also, another division of our people was expertly insinuated and achieved.
Number three, few thought to compare the death toll from our annual flu seasons when the absence of mandates versus those imposed by this Chinese “gift” was so glaring. To offset such differences, medical officials began to slap the “covid tag” as a cause of death upon anyone with the slightest exposure, even those from traffic accidents!
From this episode came the knowledge to not let go of a winning formula, so these weasels are busy working and plotting since four years have passed, and another Trump election is an imminent threat! So, is it any wonder that although it’s a different field, the game remains the same?
Not to disappoint, Washington’s current hoax also contains contradictions of the same unbelievable sort. Virus aside, now it’s the environment that needs saving. Such is the arrogance of man! Alas, behold our savior, the electric vehicle! Or simply, the “EV.” Like the last hoax, contradiction number one follows.
This first one is so absurd that one wonders how it was even considered! Let’s bypass the huge hit to our dangerous national debt totals, this one is insanely irresponsible since gas is cheaper and has been proven over time. Aside from the debt, how about the need for an endless stream of charging stations all along the roadways; this in response to the brief running time and short distances between charging. What a deal!
Number two is the time required to recharge batteries versus filling the tank! In this push-button instant gratifying culture, tempers might be slightly on edge since instead of minutes, it’s now hours! Another deal! Brilliant!
Number three is the humdinger of contradictions. How about the energy sources for all these charging locations, which will be fed from oil and coal-burning plants but more numerous than before? An honorable mention goes to the potential for garage fires caused by these Chinese time bombs! It’s funny how China seems to be at the center of these hoaxes.
A view of America’s future landscape is seen with what appears to be miles of wind turbine fields that were formerly farms—again, these are also manufactured in China! Also sprouting up are the concentrations of such wind-generating areas off America’s northeastern coast, all of which have and will continue to reduce wildlife and associated fisheries.
We are being led to the slaughter, and nobody seems to be aware. Slowly, our national options are being reduced, as are our individual ones! At this point, our claim of being an American is only based upon our birth, which is being cheapened from illegals walking onto US soil prior to birthing!
The previous two examples should never have occurred, given the obvious contradictions involved! We have been infiltrated, and the only remaining freedom lies within us. Still, this is what inspired our Founders to greatness and is America’s one remaining fortress: our thoughts and loyalties for a free and independent America! Let’s do it; let’s step back, prioritize and regroup! After all, aren’t we all just a little sick and tired of being played for jerks by those that we elect?
The post Stepping Back To Regroup appeared first on Granite Grok.
Despite the best efforts of weirdos and neer-do-wells, this year’s White House Easter Egg Roll will use eggs. Trying to get Jill Biden to use potatoes instead of eggs has failed, but the nutjobs did manage a victory nonetheless. “Religious-themed designs banned from White House Easter egg art contest.”
Children of the National Guard are prohibited from submitting religious Easter egg designs for the 2024 “Celebrating National Guard Families” art event at the White House.
The art contest is part of the White House’s Easter traditions, which include the annual Easter Egg Roll. The flyer for the contest states that an Easter egg design submission “must not include any questionable content, religious symbols, overtly religious themes, or partisan political statements.”
Questionable content? What does that mean, and who gets to decide? The potato weirdos?
Can contestants submit eggs with cartoons of kids giving each other a b…j…? That’s not just acceptable in most public schools; it is a crime against humanity to object. Pictures of drag queens? Joe sniffing a kid’s hair? Sex workers?
The secular humanist sky is the limit, but no crucifixes or Jesus on Easter. Easter Sunday.
We can argue about when, why, if, or how the Catholics absconded existing pagan days or rituals, but Easter has been a religious holiday for all of Western civilization.
It can also be argued that the White House might be better off not sponsoring or hosting an event or contest on a religious holiday, but that’s not how you change the collective consciousness from tradition (Easter is a deeply revered religious celebration) to a ham dinner, some colored eggs, and gifts from Santa in a Rabbit Suit.
The issue, however, is that the United States Constitution prevents the government from making laws respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting its free exercise. The White House isn’t making a law, but is it prohibiting free exercise and expression?
Or is it as simple as this: By refusing art with a religious theme, the White House is discriminating in violation of its own rules?
Children also can’t promote material that promotes “bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual or promotes discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age” in their designs.
Do you have time for one more?
The White House on Friday announced “trans day of visibility” for March 31, which this year falls on Easter Sunday.
Happy Easter!
The post White House Bans “Religious-Themed Art” Submissions to Religious Holiday Art Contest appeared first on Granite Grok.
Lily Tang Williams’ story and message is compelling and inspiring. But that’s exactly why she has ZERO chance of winning CD2. A clear majority of the district’s voters are COMMUNISTS. An anti-Communist like Lily Tang Williams has no chance of winning a district that is majority Communist.
Sadly, Mikey Graham’s NH-NeverTrump Journal is right. Only a RINO can compete in CD2.
Even including Kuster’s 2012 race against an incumbent Republican, her average margin of victory is 9.3 percent. …
It’s not Kuster’s incomparable political skills. It’s the district. In 2016, both Hillary Clinton and failed Democratic gubernatorial candidate Colin Van Ostern carried the district. In 2020, Joe Biden crushed Trump 54 to 45 percent.
GOP primary voters, assuming a RINO throws his hat in the ring, have a simple choice. It is between COMMUNISTS like “Yogurt-Boy” Colin Van Ostern (a nickname that I manifested and that NH-NeverTrump Journal credited to Jo(k)e Sweeney) and a RINO. Nominate a real Republican and, sadly, you are as a practical matter electing the Yogurt-Boy or whichever Woke-Commy the “Democrat” voters in CD-2 choose.
The post Sadly, NH-NeverTrump Journal Is Right … Only A RINO Can Compete In Congressional District 2 appeared first on Granite Grok.
On April 1, 2024, Canadian farmers will be on the move to support a nationwide peaceful protest against the carbon tax, to be implemented soon by their communist dictator in the name of the “climate crisis.” This was kicked off by peaceful farmers a week ago protesting in Newfoundland, who were run down by police and their horses while peacefully protesting.
Many were elderly, and several were hospitalized. The farmers are planning bottleneck positions all over Canada (see maps in the link below), but the media won’t cover it. The incoming tax they are protesting will affect everyone: farmers, fishermen, industry, manufacturing, and those who work to pay bills. The Canadian truckers’ strike in 2022 sent ripples, but not enough to stop Trudeau and his mission to destroy Canada and her people through ridiculous taxation.
We want to thank Julie P. for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
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There are still people in jail (sounds familiar) from the trucker’s protest, money taken, bank accounts seized, and people hurt by their own government for their right to protest. We need to pay attention because if our administration gets more traction on the Green New Deal. It will cause a ripple effect like no other.
Canadians are “on point” on how to organize the most peaceful of peaceful protests. If there is violence of any kind, it’s not from the protesters. “Leave your hockey sticks home,” among other tips on their website, is a recipe for us all. For maps, details on peacefulness, and more, check out the web page – nationwideprotestagainstthecarbontax.ca
Here is their mission statement:
“Canadians unite for equitable policy change. Discover our mission to overturn this tax through peaceful protest, detailed in the “About Us” section. Learn about our upcoming events, particularly our significant protest at interprovincial locations, in the “Updates & Events” area. Dive into “Resources & Education” for background information, and join the cause via “Get Involved.” Connect with allies in our “Community Hub” and reach out through “Contact Us” for queries or support. Stand with us for a fair future—your involvement is our strength. Welcome to dedicated activism; welcome to impactful change.”
Canada is literally our neighbor. Many of us have a close relationship to this beautiful country. The current leader is destroying the people of Canada and we need to be allies and support the people of Canada as Americans. They are not asking for money, they are asking for support. We can only hope the province leaders pay attention and do the right thing and stop this madness. Cheers to the Canadians!
InternationallyWith no end in sight, the farmers protest against climate policies, carbon tax, nitrogen and potassium limits, fertilizer bans, and higher prices to do business; one factor remains clear: the EU only cares about Ukraine farmers. Ukraine is often referred to as the bread basket of Europe. Cheaper food from Ukraine is flooding the EU. But, they are not requiring the same limitations on Ukraine as EU farmers! The week of 3/5/2024, Polish farmers blocking roads and shipments from Ukraine turned violent. This did not stop exports, though. It shifted to the black sea, then overland into Poland.
Until recently, Poland’s people were supporters of Ukraine, but when cheap imports started undermining Polish farmers, it turned ugly. Ukraine is not part of the EU and tariffs for imports have been relaxed, they are not held to the tight restrictions as EU farmers are, but negotiating is with the EU is stalled and the farmers are not giving up. As usual, the media turns a blind eye.
Protests spotted in and continue in:Netherlands
Germany
Ireland
Italy
Spain
France
Belgium
Portugal
Lithuania
Greece
Holland
Scotland
Slovakia
Slovenia
Latvia
Bulgaria
India
Romania
Czechoslovakia
Switzerland
Wales
Australia
Canada
England
Recently England has picked up with their tractor protests. They surrounded Westminster this week, but the media and government is silent!
Farmers and fishermen are the new devil reincarnated! Both have been around for thousands of years! The fishing industry feeds us bounty from the sea. In a highly regulated industry, fishermen, like farmers, have little leeway, lots of regulations, stiff fines, and licensing restrictions that impact their cost to bring us food.
Then there are the farmers who work the land or raise our food. For years, a respected, loved profession has also been under attack by our government. Carbon credits have pushed farmers to the brink. The cost of fuel and equipment cannot compete with foreign cheaper food imports where there are little or no restrictions. Regulations on production and pricing put a nail in the coffin, and a pending Green New Deal impact on farming will force many to go out of business. American farmers watch the farm protest with interest, but it won’t be long before carbon credits and stricter regulations force them to roll their tractors in protest. Hopefully, before China, globalists and wind and solar farms gobble up all the farms.
Buy local, save a farm…
Other “No Farms, No Food” Granitegrok articles https://granitegrok.com/mg_seacoast/2024/03/can-you-picture-the-global-elite-lining-up-for-remilk-and-impossible-burgers https://granitegrok.com/mg_seacoast/2024/03/rewilds-new-wild-kingdom https://granitegrok.com/mg_seacoast/2024/02/no-farms-no-food https://granitegrok.com/mg_seacoast/2024/02/where-the-beef https://granitegrok.com/mg_seacoast/2024/02/remilk-real-dairy-no-cows https://granitegrok.com/mg_seacoast/2024/02/no-farms-no-food-the-bugs-you-may-already-be-eating https://granitegrok.com/blog/2023/05/the-left-pivots-from-no-farms-no-food-to-no-farms Local farm resources to get you started, post more local resources in comments!NH farm bureau https://www.nhfarmbureau.org/
NH farmers marketshttps://www.visitnh.gov/things-to-do/food-drink/farmers-markets
https://extension.unh.edu/resource/nh-farm-network
The post No Farms, No Food – International Farmer Protests Update appeared first on Granite Grok.
A wake begins on Long Island on Thursday for Officer Jonathan Diller, who was shot and killed during a routine traffic stop last week in New York City. The alleged shooter has 22 previous arrests to his credit. Can we drop the alleged and call this as it is? The shooter is a cop killer.
He should not have been walking the streets, and if he had not, Officer Diller would have returned home after his shift. Instead, officers visited Mrs. Diller, giving her the horrid news that her husband would not return home. So, where does KJP come into this story?
KJP was asked if President Biden would attend the wake since he will be in New York City on Thursday night or if he had called the Diller family. No, and no. The Diller family has asked politicians on the Left to stay away from the wake as they hold them accountable for Officer Diller’s death and has invited Donald Trump to attend. Trump will attend the wake on Thursday night.
KJP could not, or would not speak, the name Diller and used the incident to lie about the President’s actions and Republicans’ aversion to addressing the problem of gun issues. The real issue is killers rarely buy their weapons through legal channels, and the fact Liberal DAs allowed this poor excuse for a human being to walk the streets when he should be in prison twenty-plus times over. So, how does this tie into Maine?
The Progressives have a stranglehold on Maine and are using it to assault individual rights at every opportunity. After the devastating shooting in Lewiston, rather than propose bills that would bolster the battle on crime, counter Liberal DAs putting criminals back on the street, or help the effort to curb mental illness; they are going after the legal gun rights of law-abiding Mainers.
Many bills are coming forward, but these four are the primary bills submitted after the Lewiston shooting:
Republicans will have an uphill battle stopping any of the efforts because of being in the minority in Augusta, but that does not mean we simply give up the fight. You may not be a gun owner, but you know legal gun owners and sportsmen. We have to get vocal and let every Maine legislator know that our rights are not free for the taking. Whether it is the Progressives in Maine or our hapless Press Secretary in the White House, they do not understand the difference between gun violence committed with illegally sourced guns and the law-abiding gun owners who bought their arms legally.
The confusion is consistent with their conflating illegal aliens with legal immigration. To the Progressive Left, understanding the issue is secondary to using it to promote their agenda. Our rights, including our Second Amendment Rights, are protected by our Constitution. Do not ever let politicians at any level of government restrict or nullify any of your rights.
The post Democrats Have No Understanding Of Second Amendment appeared first on Granite Grok.
The first Jake from State Farm commercial was a good ad because it was funny. A husband is confronted by his untrusting wife, who doesn’t believe he’d be on the phone talking to their insurance agent that late at night. “What are you wearing, Jake from State Farm?” she asks.
Jake replies, umm, khakis. Queue the decades-old tagline; “like a good neighbor, state farm is there.”
White Jake got replaced by black Jake, and while the new Jake is a good Jake, and I could care less what color he is, the deliberate virtue signaling annoys me. In House of Dragons, HBO cast black actors to play characters who are not just pale and blonde. The race itself has this distinctive trait and has for centuries. The black actors are fantastic. Top shelf. I love their characters and portrayal. I have no complaints about the performances, but HBOs need to pander (and it’s not the actor’s fault) is so obvious it is irksome, especially when we know it is not about pairing a performer to a role. They would never cast a straight white man as a character who was black and gay, no matter how well he pulled it off.
Annoying.
Perhaps not nearly as much as State Farm has annoyed policyholders in California. The good neighbor won’t be there for 72,000 of them whom they’ve decided to drop because the not-so-golden state has made doing business there impossible.
The insurer blamed inflation, regulatory costs, and the increasing risks from catastrophes for its decision to scale back in the blue state.
“This decision was not made lightly and only after careful analysis of State Farm General’s financial health, which continues to be impacted by inflation, catastrophe exposure, reinsurance costs, and the limitations of working within decades-old insurance regulations,” State Farm announced in a March 20 statement.
The reference to risks from catastrophes refers in part to forest and woodland policy. California has been a lousy steward, pandering to environmental groups that balk at the clearing of standing and downed wood to protect the forests and the people living in or near them. California also suffers from other tendencies that lead to risk, like letting Democrats run things. State Farm can’t see a way to be a good neighbor, so they’ve decided not to pretend.
This is a real crisis,” [California’s insurance commissioner Ricardo] Lara told KABC in an interview Friday.
The commissioner said he wants to investigate State Farm’s finances, but warned that regulators can’t go too far, or else they would risk pushing companies out of California entirely.
“Insurance companies are not like utility companies,” he told KABC. “By law, they don’t have to be here, and when we try to overregulate, we’ll see what happened after the Northridge earthquake, when the legislature came in and tried to overregulate, and they no longer write earthquake insurance in California.”
The obvious solution is to sue the crap out of them and maybe this isn’t like compelling speech (also illegal). You can’t force them to open a business or to do business, and this is California so, naturally, they have an Obamacare for property insurance.
One hitch. This insurer of last resort doesn’t have much of a fiscal surplus with which to cover claims when they have another significant wildfire event and the will.
Guess who will be on the financial hook when that happens?
The post California: Jake From State Farm Might Not be Your “Good” Neighbor For Much Longer … appeared first on Granite Grok.
I have spent three years in the Nashua South civil court addressing records disputes with the City of Nashua. During this time, I’ve gained experience formulating an opinion on the impartiality of the Nashua judges in hearing cases brought against Cities.
Another Nashua citizen filed a right-to-know petition against the Town of Conway in June 2023 for failing to provide records.
Judge Temple handled the case, and the Town of Conway filed a motion to dismiss. The Court dismissed several claims, but others remained to be heard in a merits hearing. On July 12, 2023, the Town of Conway filed a motion to award attorney fees. It was a puzzling motion as the Judge had yet to hear the case’s merits, and the standard for awarding attorney’s fees is very high. How do you win fees without hearing the case?
When Judges go on vacation, the other Judge will issue orders on motions, objections, or responses to keep the case moving. At the end of July 2023, Judge Temple was on vacation, so on July 25, Judge Colburn ruled on the motion to award attorney fees. Judge Colburn ruled to grant the Town of Conway’s request for the Citizen to pay $675 in legal fees to Conway. It was a frightening ruling for citizens working hard to access public records, especially since this Judge had just issued an order on July 7, 2023, claiming I was acting as an attorney and actions could be taken against me. Without a fair hearing, she slammed the Citizen with fees.
This action created more filings and another hearing, during which the pro se citizen presented to Judge Temple that it was unfair and improper to impose fees on a plaintiff when the Court had not held a merits hearing. On September 8, 2023, Judge Temple reversed the Court’s order and ruled that fees would only be determined once the case is heard. The case remains open and is awaiting a merits hearing. Judges have a duty, according to “cannons,” to respect the inexperience of pro se litigants and help them understand the legal process (not the law), but Nashua judges do not do this.
It is concerning that a judge ruling on behalf of another judge’s case did not read the short case file to educate herself on the case. Was this the result of an overworked Judge or a deliberate action to smackdown the pro se litigants seeking records? The standard for awarding attorneys’ fees in RTK cases requires proof of bad faith, vexatious, or frivolous actions. The awarding of fees is rare.
Judge Colburn’s order firmly told pro-se litigants to get out of the Nashua court system. The Nashua Court will not process records petitions per the law and rule fairly and impartially.
Our two civil judges in Nashua, Judge Colburn and Judge Temple, specialize in drug court and criminal matters. Their strengths and interest in other civil matters aren’t there, and drugs and violent crimes will trump records matters every time. Undoubtedly, it is difficult for judges to be “jack of all trades” adjudicators skilled in every area of law. To compound this matter, our 400-member House of Representatives creates a vast amount of legislation each year. Judges must stay on top of these new laws and prepare for legal challenges that can require writing new case law.
Nashua is ready for more judges willing to address civil matters with the weight and priority they deserve. Given the state of this country and the significant lack of media coverage for local governments, the court system should recognize the public’s heightened awareness of governmental accountability. We need the Courts to share our public record interests, as our NH Constitution specifically recognizes, and permit us to challenge the open, accessible, accountable, and responsiveness to access our public records. We are not vexatious, frivolous, or bad-faith citizens out to create burdens or harm anyone. We are citizens engaged and vested in our communities and our civic duties.
The post The War on Your Right to Know: Bias Against Pro Se Litigants appeared first on Granite Grok.
Although our state is probably the best place to live in the US, and although it is the safest and most respectful of Second Amendment rights of all the states, there are still some things that could be done to improve New Hampshire for all.
So, please consider the following suggestions (in effect, a wish list) in what some might consider an appropriate order (apologies in advance for the length of this piece):
#1- Eliminate same-day registration to vote.
The present laws allowing same-day registration to vote in our elections are invitations to fraud and abuse of the electoral process.
The argument against elimination of same-day registration is that our state will have to comply with the federal Motor Voter Law if we no longer allow same-day registration. So what!
This writer moved to NH from a state that never had same-day registration and was subject to the federal Motor Voter law since its inception, he worked extensively on ballot integrity matters in that state’s most populous county for many years- and found that compliance with Motor Voter was actually no big deal.
Which is worse, Motor Voter compliance or allowing throngs to register on the day of elections without effective policing as to whether they should be allowed to vote in our elections?
New Hampshire elections should be determined by voters who are bona fide New Hampshire residents.
This change can be accomplished by a statute adopted by the General Court and signed into law by the Governor.
#2- Eliminate college student voting.
At present anyone attending college in our state has, by state statute, the right to vote here, even if they are not bona fide residents of New Hampshire.
Anyone attending college in our state should vote in the locale from which they came to school, whether it be a town or city in New Hampshire or another state.
So, if you go to college at Dartmouth and have an apartment or dorm room there but you are actually from Massachusetts, you should vote absentee in Massachusetts. Likewise, if you are from Plymouth, NH, but attend Dartmouth, you should vote absentee in the Plymouth elections, not in the elections held in the Dartmouth area.
New Hampshire elections, including local elections, should be determined by voters who are bona fide New Hampshire residents from the locale in which an election is held.
This change can be accomplished by a statute adopted by the General Court and signed into law by the Governor.
#3 Eliminate the ability of voters registered as “undeclared” to select, receive, and vote a ballot of a political party in a party primary.
Candidates selected to run in a general election through the party primary process should be elected by voters who are actually members of the relevant political party, and not by “instant” members of a party they choose on election day at the polls.
Although political party registration is self-selected- i.e., there is no loyalty oath or blood test to determine who is really affiliated with the party in which they choose to register, in order to be allowed to vote in the candidate selection process of a party, the least we should expect is that those voting in that process have registered as members of that party. And prior to election day.
This would not require a constitutional amendment- only legislation passed by the General Court and signed into law by the Governor.
Why would not this be a simple, commonsense change to adopt?
#4- Prohibit personal taxes in our Constitution.
It does not take a genius to observe that politically our state is currently on a knife’s edge, especially in the NH House, where on any day the Dems could outnumber the Republicans and adopt their agenda, which includes new personal taxes.
Although the Senate is not as close, and although the Governor should serve as a “firewall” against such antics, the best way to protect our citizens once and for all in the future is by a constitutional amendment clearly prohibiting the taxation of personal incomes, personal capital gains, and any broad-based sales tax other than the existing tax on rooms & meals.
#5- Elect our Attorney General by popular vote.
Our attorney general is nominated by the Governor and must be confirmed by at least 3 of the 5 members of the Governor’s Executive Council. In other words, at present 4 individuals determine who will sit as the top law enforcement official in our state.
More than half of the states in the US elect their attorneys general by popular vote, but not New Hampshire.
Changing the existing process to a popular election would require an amendment to our state constitution, but it would probably be worth it.
It should be noted that even our Secretary of State, our state’s highest election official, is elected every two years by a vote of the 424 members of the General Court.
#6- Make our state court judges more accountable to the people.
Each of our state court judges is nominated by the Governor and must be confirmed by at least 3 of the 5 members of the Governor’s Executive Council. In other words, 4 individuals determine who will sit as one of our judges. And once confirmed, a judge serves until age 70 or until they retire or die before then.
Although there is a disciplinary process supposedly designed to deal with problem judges in our state, it is, in the opinion of many, a toothless tiger.
The only present way to remove a state court judge in our state is by the process of impeachment- articles of impeachment must be passed by the NH House and tried before the NH Senate. In the history of our state, only two such proceedings have even been initiated, neither of which resulted in the removal of the subject judge. In other words, impeachment is a hollow, ineffective remedy for New Hampshire.
It should be noted that all of our state representatives and senators, and our governor (and even our members of the federal congress), must stand for election every 2 years, so if any of them misbehave sufficiently, the people can simply vote them out of office. Not so with our judges.
A constitutional amendment could provide for the ability of citizens to gather sufficient signatures in a recall petition, and a recall election based upon the petition would be held. If a majority of the citizens vote for removal, the judge would be removed, and the vacancy must be filled.
This process has been used in wacky California for many years and has resulted in the removal of state supreme court justices as well as, incredibly, the state’s governor (this is how Arnold got to be governor).
Recall by such a process is a very high bar but it does work, and the existence of the process could serve a salutary effect on individuals serving as judges who might otherwise misbehave.
Query- if this is good enough for wacky California, why isn’t it good enough for New Hampshire?
#7- Purge Anti-Catholic bias from our state constitution.
In a couple of places in our state constitution there exist so-called Blaine Amendment language, which clearly originated in various parts of the country as expressions of anti-Catholic bias even after it was rejected by the US Congress many years ago.
In a state in which many Catholics from Canada migrated to the new state, and in which we now have a successful educational freedom account program, it is long past time to eliminate the Blaine Amendment language from the state constitution that purport to prohibit funding of religious schools.
#8- Eliminate an obsolete office from our constitution.
The state court reorganization several years ago eliminated substantially all duties of the office of Register of Probate, but we still have elections for that office in each of our counties every 2 years.
Thus, the Register of Probate in each county gets paid $100 a year but has no office, no desk, no staff and, essentially, no duties.
A constitutional amendment curing this issue was passed by the General Court a few years ago but did not achieve sufficient votes in the general election to become effective. It needs to be done once again with a better explanation for the voters.
_______________
Can any of this actually be accomplished?
Not without a solid majority of “real” Republican members of the House and Senate and occupying the Governor’s office.
Obviously, none of these suggestions would garner support from Dems and most RINOs.
The post Night Cap: Improving New Hampshire! appeared first on Granite Grok.
Admittedly, I have not kept my knowledge current on the efforts to create a paddling park on the Winnipesaukee River in recent years, but recent Grok coverage and attention from the NH Journal stirred some thoughts and memories.
I also wasn’t familiar with the current people in office. In fact, all I knew was that Karen Testerman, who I voted for in the past 2 primaries in hope of removing the Damn Emperor, was an alderman for some time.
It might be helpful to offer some background that I hope will aid the reader in making sense of what I have to say, starting with my early days of whitewater paddling in the late 90s, when my senior peers were sounding the alarm on the Boat Tax. D’Allesandro and Rep Goley, both from Manchester and well on their way to eternal swampdom, were sponsoring bills to require unmotorized vessels to be registered. They were trying to shake down paddlers in an attempt to balance the F&G budget, and I always objected.
A fellow Nashua paddler, who supported my candidacy more than once, was one of my regular peers on the water, and we regularly carpooled to our favorite rivers, one of them being the Winnipesaukee. During our cumulatively many miles and hours on the road, we would discuss a variety of things. His father died not long after we met, and we were talking about my refusal to park in the pay parking or some raised cover charge to a popular event when he said, “My dad was a Scottish Presbyterian; you two would have made great friends had you met.” I was dumbfounded and said, “I’m not in the habit of choosing friends for their religious views; why do you think that?” He went on to say that his dad stubbornly did not believe in any unnecessary spending of money. When he showed up to vote in the last city election, I told him I wanted to replace Alderman Dowd with some “Scottish Presbyterianism.”
So enough with that, even though I admit to having lots of Scottish ancestry, federal omnibus porked up bills are nothing new. However, the Franklin Paddle Park is new. I don’t paddle much these days, and I have to admit that I certainly don’t miss being in the company of lots of people with demented political views. The fellow paddler I just referenced is ok, and I should say that for the record, just in case he reads this. Considering the prevailing views of most paddlers I’ve associated with, I predict that Jeanne Shaheen will achieve sainthood in that community.
Sadly, most paddlers I know are in desperate need of a good therapeutic dose of Thomas Sowell. I suggest the quote he makes about government quietly stealing your money and giving some of it back to you flamboyantly. Shaheen is a good poster child for that.
There are several people worthy of recognition for their Franklin & Winnipesaukee River activism. Someone else can certainly write about them if so inspired, but I’m here to talk about funds, funding, and generosity. Whether or not you, the reader, have ever paddled whitewater or even visited Franklin, I want you to recognize that Shaheen is no friend of paddlers or of Franklinites, or of Granite Staters. (see above comment on Thomas Sowell quote) You will observe canonizing comments of her, especially in the next midterm, but I want you to know who the real hero is. It’s Mr Grevior, the local furniture store owner.
In my earlier years of paddling the Winnipesaukee River, the takeout area near the bridge was a run-down Chinese restaurant that closed. I met Mr Grevior, a river enthusiast and next-door business owner, while we were dropping off shuttle cars in the Chinese restaurant lot on a cold, drizzly spring day. He was walking by with his dogs and he invited us to get dressed in his furniture store restroom. Wow! Think of big furniture showrooms. His store was in a refurbished mill building with limited square feet of floor space. I was floored, no pun intended, by his candid and generous offer because accepting it involved tracking in wet footprints and brushing by new furniture while wearing wet wetsuits and carrying wet apparel back out through the showroom. He didn’t have a care in the world. He later bought that Chinese restaurant lot and donated it for the creation of what’s presently known as Trestle View Park.
If anyone deserves praise from the paddling community and/or Franklin, it’s Mr Grevior, who has always been interested, generous, and thoughtful to the community, rather than a career politician and DC swamp rat that does nothing for NH beyond claiming its share of the federal pork. You can show him and his family business some love if you or someone you know in the Franklin area wants new furniture.
And if you cross paths with Chuck Morse, suggest that he swing by and pat the family dogs.
Spruce would want that.
The post One Paddler’s Thoughts of Franklin’s Whitewater Park appeared first on Granite Grok.
Upon request, we are publishing a quick pop-up poll on Twitter that will run for the next day or so (don’t wait to vote). The question is, ‘Should the NH House be a paid “professional” legislature? Yes or No?’
This is in response to someone who shared a poll that said 87% of respondents said yes. For the record, we are a no.
Should the NH House be a paid “professional” legislature? Yes or No?
— GraniteGrok (@GraniteGrok) March 29, 2024
The post Twitter Pop Up Poll – Should the NH House be a Paid “Professional” Legislature? Yes or No? appeared first on Granite Grok.
Schools have made pornographic images available to children in our schools in the school library. Sometimes, books are available to children in the school library or on the library App. Many of these books contain pornographic images.
This is considered a tool that sexual predators use in order to groom children in order to abuse them. From: Grooming, Know the Warning Signs:
Desensitization to touch and discussion of sexual topics: Abusers will often start to touch a victim in ways that appear harmless, such as hugging, wrestling and tickling, and later escalate to increasingly more sexual contact, such as massages or showering together. Abusers may also show the victim pornography or discuss sexual topics with them, to introduce the idea of sexual contact.
So why is it ok for schools to provide this kind of obscene content to children in our public schools? That’s a good question. Many of our public schools now make these books available to children and actually defend this. Some parents have challenged these books, only to be told this is book banning. Well, it’s not book banning because that would mean no one could access the book. These books are still available to buy, and accessible by adults.
So why do public schools make pornographic books available to children, knowing that this is a way for predators to groom children?
Why are pornographic websites banned from their iPads at school? Why is one form of pornography ok for them, but another is not?
None of this makes any sense. You just need to know that this is now available for children to access in their school library or on their Sora App.
If these books are used as a way to groom a child in school by a predator, no one will take responsibility for that. They will all look at each other with a blank stare on their face if you confront them. No one will take responsibility for your child’s sexual abuse.
What can you do? Well the first question to ask is, how do you trust anyone in a school that thinks this is ok?
Then figure out how quickly you can remove your child from that environment.
The post Exposing Children To Pornography Is Grooming, So Why Do Schools Get Away With It? appeared first on Granite Grok.
So Annie Kuster is finally going to retire to her dacha (or perhaps dachas) … after spending over a decade voting to “transform” America into a dystopian hellhole of illegal aliens, open borders, late-term abortions, and forever wars.
The normal reaction from a Republican would be “good riddance,” “about time,” “don’t let the door hit you in your fat ass on the way out,” etc., etc., etc..
But the NHGOP is not normal. One of its “leaders” normalized the abnormal (the abnormal being Annie’s hard-left ideology) by thanking her for her service:
Sweeney obviously is deep in the throes of Stockholm Syndrome.
Aiding and abetting an illegal invasion of America, funding forever wars, and aborting eight and nine-month-old unborn babies is “service” in the alternative universe Sweeney inhabits.
But, in his defense, perhaps Sweeney has been too busy ramming apartment complexes (“workforce housing”) down our throats to pay attention to Annie’s voting record. Slava Ukraine! New Hampshire Advantage! Mask Up! Vax Up! Slava Ukraine!
The post Thanks For Nothing appeared first on Granite Grok.