Wednesday • April 2 • 2025
Vol.XVII • No.XIV
Manchester, N.H.
Last October, dispensaries in Vermont opened their doors to allow any adult with the need, medical or otherwise, to buy marijuana. In the months since, State Police have responded to 60 DUI calls where cannabis was “involved.”
Cannabis sales are ahead of expectations in Vermont, but smoking weed behind the wheel continues to be a concern.
Unlike some other states, Vermont does not have a legal, quantifiable amount of cannabis in your body that permits you to drive or conversely guarantees you a DUI in the same way that there are BAC rules for alcohol.
Vermont has again put the cart before the horse, and it is filled with Twinkies, so a few points. There are states with blood test limits, but there is no practical roadside test for a level of influence. We also lack a scientific standard that accurately balances use with impairment. They don’t correlate, not precisely. If the goal is to keep compromised drivers off the road, blood tests might not be the droid you’re looking for.
Back in ancient internet history, circa 2016, the president of AAA noted that,
There is understandably a strong desire by both lawmakers and the public to create legal limits for marijuana impairment in the same manner we do alcohol. In the case of marijuana this approach is flawed and not supported by scientific research.
I’m not sure how The American Automobile Association feels about that today, but it’s not a new problem, and increased access and use have made it more common. What is a legislature obsessed with either appearing to care about public safety or, more likely, one with a strong enough authoritarian tick to run with it as an excuse to impose more controls?
Mandate munchies or remote munchies.
I’d bet a bailout to Ukraine that many of these calls for impaired drivers are folks searching the wilds of modern America for convenience stores or grocery stores—quick story. Many years ago, I worked at a McDonald’s on a road that ran out of a city with a large concert venue. Depending on the attraction, people would show up craving food on certain nights—people who looked and smelled stoned. And there’s a test for that.
Have you heard of upselling? The old, would you like an apple pie with that? How about, would you like a 20-piece McNugget with that?
They’ll say yes to both and then some. Munchies are a powerful force. And while I’m joking, you’d go a long way toward your goal if you could find a way to get people to buy that crap while they were out buying their cannabis. And that’s not as easy as it sounds. While once stoned, some folks will eat anything, in many cases, there are specific cravings that cannot be appeased without a certain something.
In other words, there is almost nothing a legislature can do once it has decided to milk legal weed for revenue except what it should do. Nothing. You have laws for impaired and distracted driving. There are consequences for incidents and accidents. Invest a little in education and hope for the best.
And maybe, suggest to State Troopers that as a possible roadside test for the cannabis-impaired, they ask if they’d like some McNuggets.
The post Legal Weed in Vermont Leads to a Rise in Stoned Drivers appeared first on Granite Grok.
Because when The State is no longer going to protect the Right to Private Property, NO one can own anything at all. And if you no longer own your property, there can be no private Freedom. In fact, no freedom at all as the linchpin of freedom is to both own, control, and protect one’s property.
This is one of the fallouts of the Left’s Critical Race Theory that is tearing our Society apart – this is both reparations at the micro-level and retribution against “The Oppressors” at the macro-level. And note the newest euphemism by the Left concerning your property (italicized below):
California Senate Passes Bill Preventing Employers from Requiring Staff to Stop Shoplifters
The California State Senate passed a bill last week that would prevent employers from requiring employees to intervene to stop shoplifting — a growing scourge in the state since the enactment of criminal justice reforms.
SB 553, introduced by Silicon Valley’s State Sen. Dave Cortese (D-Cupertino), is described as a bill to prevent and monitor “workplace violence.” But it also includes a provision that “every employer shall establish, implement, and maintain, at all times in all of the employer’s facilities, a workplace violence prevention plan for purposes of protecting employees and other personnel from aggressive and violent behavior at the workplace” that “shall include … [p]rovisions prohibiting the employer from maintaining policies that require employees to confront active shooters or suspected shoplifters.”
And another Right is the Right to Self-Defense. Look at how that redefinition is handled! Just like how gun crime is now “gun violence”, your self-defense and defense of your property is now lumped under “workplace violence” in which YOU are the aggressor while the actual criminal is the “victim” simply because you want to keep your property to yourself (SELFISH of you to demand that they pay for it – evil capitalist!).
As San Francisco Bay Area Fox affiliate KTVU reported, retail associations are furious, believing that the bill will tell potential thieves that they can steal goods at will:
[O]ver 50 organizations, including the California Retailers Association, (CRA) don’t support the bill.
“This bill goes way too far, number one, where I think it will open the doors even wider for people to come in and steal from our stores.”
…
The CRA says if SB 553 becomes law, it will need to apply to all industries and not just retail. They also say most retailers already prohibit regular employees from approaching anyone about stolen merchandise and have some employees who are trained in theft prevention.
“It says no employee can approach someone who is shoplifting. So even if someone is trained on how to deter someone from doing that, now they’re not allowed to approach someone. So, what does that mean? We are opening up the door to allow people to walk into stores, steal and walk out,” Michelin said.
Retail theft has caused a growing number of major retailers to leave downtown San Francisco, and pharmacies in Los Angeles and other cities have begun placing ordinary household goods, such as toiletries, behind locked glass doors.
Some store employees have successfully confronted shoplifters. However, such confrontations can be deadly: a Home Depot employee in the state was fatally shot while trying to stop a shoplifter in April.
Note that this applicable to ALL industries – basically any commercial place of business. Waltz in, put something under your arm, and off you go. Electronics, furniture, tools, fixtures, supplies, vehicles – and how about doing a massive “squatting” effort? How can any economy withstand this stressor? This is legalizing lawlessness on a massive scale.
Once again, we see a lack of Civics as well as an inability (refusal to play?) to wargame out consequences of note. Why stick to a traditional norm of morality (“Thou shalt not steal”) when no one else abides to that same norm? And the rational outcome of this irrational legislation?
Intentional Societal breakdown. WHO in their right is going to start a new business if a social media Flash Mob decides to wipe you out in an hour and you can’t stop them. What happens, in a large city, when hundreds or thousands of these happen simultaneously? Now lay into that equation the Progressive cities that fell for the “defund the police” stupidity and no longer have the means to stop this?
I’ll be honest – if they do this, I may well think “they deserved the results”. Even the normal folks because they put this yahoo, Dave Corese (D-Cupertino), into office. The mush about “workplace violence” is a mere smoke screen – it is to define that anything is everyone’s. That is, isn’t it, the “equity” of Communism?
If one of our enemies (e.g., Russia, China, Iran, et al) wanted to vanquish the US without firing a shot, can you think of anything slicker than this?
And then the next step engages – the Rise of the Strong Man after a brief interlude of massive vigilantism vs armed gangs. Imaging the field day that Antifa, who has been honing its street tactics for years and now openly carry firearms, will unleash the rest of us.
And then the real violence will kick in.
And our enemies will just smile.
(H/T: Breitbart)
The post My, My, California Has Gone Full Communism: “Hey, Shopkeep? Your Stuff Is Now Officially the Thieves”. The Former No Longer Allowed To Stop the Latter appeared first on Granite Grok.
The Southern Poverty Law Center has released its latest list of hate and extremist groups in the United States. The usual listing includes the KKK, Neo-Nazis, The Proud Boys, and a new, surprise addition this year, Moms for Liberty.
This addition shows how extreme the SPLC is; maybe they should be added to their listing.
The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is an American nonprofit legal advocacy organization specializing in civil rights and public interest litigation. Based in Montgomery, Alabama, it is known for its legal cases against white supremacist groups, its classification of hate groups and other extremist organizations, and for promoting tolerance education programs. When it comes to civil rights and public interest, the SPLC is very selective, and its interests do not include children.
Moms for Liberty is a grassroots organization of concerned mothers who came to the end of their patience with the current WOKE philosophies and have banded together to take action. These women do not just bitch and moan and hope for better days ahead. Moms for Liberty is taking an active approach to making positive change.
Moms for Liberty is an American conservative nonprofit organization that advocates against school curriculums that mention LGBT rights, race, critical race theory, and discrimination. Multiple chapters have also campaigned to ban books from school libraries that address gender and sexuality issues.
This labeling of Moms for Liberty shows how hypocritical and twisted the thinking of the Left has gotten. These people have no issues and celebrate events like Pride Night hosted by the Los Angeles Dodgers that, included Drag Nuns. These “Nuns” were offensive and insulting to many groups like mothers, fathers, children, and anyone who respects the religious connection of real nuns. To protect the minute percentage of LGTBQIA+ supporters, these Leftists have no concern or respect for the feelings of the majority who find these demonstrations abhorrent. But have a group of mothers call out a local school board for the content of the curriculum their children are exposed to, and these moms are labeled Domestic Terrorists and subject to potential investigation by the Justice Department and the FBI.
The Moms for Liberty organization was formed during the COVID Pandemic. At the same time, Moms and Dads were pushing back against the school boards and the Governor of Virginia, who stated their opinion that parents had no position in their children’s education. The process of remote schooling because of the COVID lockdowns allowed parents to see behind the curtain, and what they saw awakened a fury. That fury is what the government, school boards, teacher’s unions, and groups like the SPLC are targeting. These groups are part of the movement intent on separating the family unit. The same group believes children should have the right to be transgender without parental consent. These groups believe children in Canada have the right to end their lives with the approval of a government-approved doctor and without parental consent. These groups feel the government is better suited to parent children than biological parents.
These groups, like the Southern Poverty Law Center, are wrong and twisted and should be labeled dangerous and hateful to families, especially children.
The post Moms For Liberty Compared to Nazi and KKK appeared first on Granite Grok.
This sounds like the Democrats who believe they “own” the Black, Brown, Gays, and the rest of the insolent Democrat Identity Political Totem Pole groups (“How DARE you leave us!”). But as always, the goal is to always embrace and surround and then absorb their allies. Then DEMAND that those allies can never leave – or else. And we are now seeing that occur in real-time.
However, a foundational question to “frame” the rest of this post: is a company in business to make a return for its owners/stockholders or does it exist to be a front group for a small percentage of the US Population pushing a sexuality identity? Does a willingness to make a quick buck with some lip service mean that a small percentage of a tiny group is entitled to demand ANY kind of “ally support” forever even if it results in bankruptcy?
The title of the post gives it away – and yes, any of us that rise up against THEIR NARRATIVE are Extremists.
Sidenote: Hey, LGBT, thanks for helping to burn out yet another word. Now that you’ve called the majority of Americans “extremists”, its value is zilch. Instead, it now has most “extremists” starting to think “WHO are the real extremists”? Yeah, we’re all looking at you and I think you’re starting to fight a rear guard action. After all, if we “extremists” can make $36 BILLION of market cap to evaporate into the ether over a small number of weeks, what ELSE do you think we can (or should) do? Emphasis mine, reformatted:
Over 200 LGBT groups demand Target restock all Pride merch and denounce ‘extremists’ speaking out against children’s apparel, ‘tuck-friendly’ swimsuits
More than 200 LGBT organizations and allies released a statement this week demanding that Target restock all of its Pride merchandise and denounce “extremists” speaking out against the controversial items. Consumers called for boycotts after it was revealed that Target’s Pride collection included LGBT-themed apparel for children.
Parents hate it when groups proselytize values other than their own to their children. When they continue to press, it is seen to be an attempt to take control of children, not theirs. And WE are the “extremists”??
Two weeks ago, Target announced that it would be moving its Pride section from the front of its stores and removing some items from its inventory altogether. In a statement released May 24, Target stated that “volatile circumstances” and “threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety” forced it to stop selling “items that have been at the center of the most significant confrontational behavior.”
Designers who had their merchandise pulled from Target’s shelves criticized the retailer for caving into the backlash.
I’m sorry – am I missing something here? If the consumers that are paying for items no longer wish to purchase them, shouldn’t a store react in its own self-interest AND in protecting the interests of its stockholders? And why SHOULDN’T Target now allow itself to be “Bud Lighted” for a limited sexualized ideology?
Erik Carnell, a clothing designer who identifies as a transgender gay man, told Reuters:
“It’s a very dangerous precedent to set, that if people just get riled up enough about the products that you’re selling, you can completely distance yourself from the LGBT community, when and if it’s convenient. If you’re going to take a stance and say that you care about the LGBT community, you need to stand by that regardless,” Carnell added.
Seriously – you want them to “go down with their [economic] ship” simply to make you feel good about yourself? Are you that selfish? Through thick and thin, eh? Sounds like Carnell is looking to run a grift by using the old “all or nothing” logic to influence the tactic of guilt (“completely distance yourself….convenient”).
The Human Rights Campaign, GLAAD, GLSEN, Family Equality, National LGBTQ Task Force, and approximately 200 other LGBT-allied groups signed a joint statement on Monday laying out a list of demands for Target.
Hmmm, is a demand list from groups that represent a tiny fraction of Target’s consumer base going to be valued over the billions of market capitalization already lost by conservative consumers voting with their dollars? WHO has the ability to do more damage to Target? One of these demands is rather amusing:
Doubling down on your values is not only the right thing to do, it’s good for business.
Snort. What does Bud Light think about their “good for business” right about now? And why should Target believe it now?
The groups insisted the retail chain “release a public statement in the next 24 hours reaffirming their commitment to the LGBTQ+ community,” restock all Pride merchandise in-store and online, and “ensure safety of team members who are on the front lines.” They urged Target to “speak out against anti-LGBTQ+ extremism going into Pride Month.”
According to the organizations, retail employees have been forced to endure “horrendous, unhinged attacks” due to the controversial merchandise.
And this next part is the most insidious of all – the elimination of all Free Speech concerning “their” issue:
The groups accused anyone speaking out against the Pride items, which include “tuck-friendly” swimsuits for transgender-identifying individuals and LGBT apparel for infants, of fueling “hate” against the gay, lesbian, and trans community.
Really? This is the normal stock in trade of always accusing those THEY hate of the very thing they are actually doing. Throw the dirt first in hopes it sticks in a Public Relations war in which they desperately think they should win. Actually, desperation is the word to use as they understand that if their Big Box takes its own self-interest first, the gig is up. They understand that that first blocks in their wall won’t be the last – and they are terrified at that prospect.
They urged Target to double down on their diversity, equity, and inclusion values, claiming that “there is no such thing as neutrality” and unequivocal support would be “good for business.”
Urge? When they issue a demand to take a knee, it’s not a voluntary move. It’s about the only negotiating point they have. What will they do – what CAN they do to punish Bud Light, Target, and others who have seen what happens when the other side’s (that would be us) toleration has been pushed to far.
The Alphabet Mafia demands us to be “tolerant” of them even as they refuse to respond in kind that others don’t agree with their aims. However, these groups only goal is to use these businesses to forward (“leverage”) as cudgels
“Target, and all businesses, can leverage the support of LGBTQ+ organizations to navigate this hate, so that together, we can let extremists know unequivocally that, just as with every other failed anti-LGBTQ+ campaign of the past, fear will not win,” the group’s joint statement read.
This is like the Spanish Inquisition going after those they believe to apostates. It IS a religious cult to them – they will not brook any dissent. In this, they are like the Chinese Communist Party who have had secret police stations (until lately) hunting down THEIR runaways and leavers and trying to make sure they “will not win” their freedom.
And yes, these Trans-Authoritarians are employing tactics right in line with other totalitarian regimes to get their way.
If they can bully Bud Light and Target, they’ve already proven my point.
The post “Bud Light” Says Otherwise, Buckos appeared first on Granite Grok.
Tucker Carlson returned to Twitter yesterday after his lawyer told Fox News to go and stuff itself. Fox pulled him off the air but won’t release him and claims it has exclusive rights to his speech.
Fox claims what he is doing is a violation of the contract from which they refuse to release him until after a certain Tuesday in November 2024 (if you’re a bettin’ man or woman).
His lawyer disagrees. He’s just a citizen using the internet to express some opinions. Lawsuits will light up the intervening space over what words mean. Until then, here’s citizen Tucker Carlson who is just someone who did something … on Twitter.
Here is Episode 2 and the non-twitter version for the Twitter-averse.
Ep. 2 Cling to your taboos! pic.twitter.com/45AeVdtwOu
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) June 8, 2023
The post Tucker On Twitter Ep 2 – Cling to Your Taboos! appeared first on Granite Grok.
Again, the arrogant marketers at Anheuser-Busch thought they could diss their blue-collar consumers by “educating them” to accept that which is anathema to most
Sidenote: Why is it that no matter what the issue is, the Left ALWAYS says “If you were better educated, you’d be less obstinate and agree with us”?
by the use of transvestite “dis-influencer” Dylan Mulvaney in their ill-chosen walk to the consumer guillotine. Steve has followed this a bit but I figured I’d put this up as I kept seeing “If this doesn’t turn around before Memorial Day, Bud is doomed” as a prediction.
Has it now happened?
Jaw Dropping Stats – Reports of Bud Light Memorial Day Sales Dropping -60% as Brand Boycott Continues
Memorial Day customarily kicks off summer and the beer beverage industry generally looks forward to the enhanced sales that come from summer. However, if the recently published reports of Anheuser-Busch sales are accurate, which includes a stunning 60% sales drop during the holiday, the brand position of Bud Light is in freefall.
While the impacts do have a regional trend based on consumer boycotts and patterns, when the Daily Mail reports,
“numbers are suffering primarily due to a decline in Bud Light sales that reached as high as a 60 percent drop off over the week that ended on Memorial Day,”
we can be certain the executive offices of A/B are watching closely. The feedback from wholesalers and distributors to the parent company must be something beyond alarm.
AB’s marketing effort was actually SUPERB – actually VERY successful. Good Lord, Skip, have you lost your mind in stating this? No, not more than usual. But look at it from the other side – those that hired the transvestite Mulvaney actually achieved what they presented far, FAR better than they ever thought would happen:
It is safe to say the Bud Light brand is now firmly connected to the image of transgender ideology. As a result, it would appear that anyone who holds a Bud Light beverage is essentially identifying themselves as a transvestite pickle-puffer, and that could potentially draw considerable side-eyes from anyone in a public place outside the region of San Francisco, California.
And that’s what previous observations have shown – if AB wanted to identify with the Trans-Authoritarians, well, they have excelled in doing exactly that. Yet, AB has done nothing but put out explanation after excuse after story to say “Hey, you misunderstand us”. No, you made it really, REALLY clear.
What they should have done was to say “We screwed up – sorry” no more than a millisecond after the original backlash started – that’s the hubris in not recognizing it (aka, “we’ll ride this out, it’ll only last a couple of weeks”).
Well, guess what happened…
(H/T: Conservative Treehouse)
The post Quick Thought: Bud LIghting Update – “…And The Beat[down] Goes On” appeared first on Granite Grok.
The very same team who received praise for exposing sexual abuse in the Catholic Church are behind this article regarding the Catholic Medical Center in New Hampshire and cover-ups of medical malpractice.
We want to thank Claire Best for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.
You can review our ‘Op-Ed Guidelines‘ on the FAQ Page.
Under the article’s comments section, I posted a note which included the names of former CMC board member Edward Arsenault, New Hampshire’s Supreme Court Chief Justice, and former legal counsel to the Diocese of Manchester during the Catholic Priest Sex Abuse Scandal — Gordon Macdonald; US Attorney Jane Young who shook Edward Arsenault’s hand after he took a plea deal in 2014 for, among other things, defrauding a Catholic Hospital (CMC I believe); Chuck Douglas Esq (Chair of NH Judicial Selection Committee) who filed dozens of lawsuits against the Diocese of Manchester and who worked closely with Edward Arsenault; David Vicinanzo who was Gordon MacDonald’s partner at Nixon Peabody representing the Diocese of Manchester.
The Boston Globe was quick to block my comment. Why? Who is paying the Boston Globe to block an expose of public corruption at the highest levels in New Hampshire with players who are intertwined with the corruption at the Catholic Medical Center, which hid medical malpractice?
The article in the Globe mentions Alex Walker as Chair of the Catholic Medical Center, but it doesn’t mention that Alex Walker was legal counsel for the CMC before he became chair. He is listed as the agent on “Alliance Enterprises Inc,” alternatively known as “Catholic Medical Enterprises Inc,” founded in 1984 with a Derek MacDonald on its board of directors. Is he related to Gordon MacDonald per chance? “Alliance Enterprises” is a for-profit company.
Edward Arsenault was on the board of both the Catholic Risk Retention Management Insurance company and the Catholic Medical Center, where, per his resume, he was in charge of increasing profits for the Center. Gordon MacDonald represented Purdue Pharma and managed to prevent an external audit right before he became the Attorney General of New Hampshire. He then decided not to join 44 other Attorneys General around the country in a landmark drug price-fixing lawsuit that includes over 20 companies and 112 generic drugs.
Around New England, you will see bill boards saying “Public Corruption Kills”. Yet, the Boston Globe Spotlight Team will not expose the corruption at the top which is not “Protecting God’s Children” as Edward Arsenault’s Virtus LLC (founded in 1999) claims. Catholic Risk Retention Management Insurance is the parent company of Virtus LLC. The current New Hampshire Supreme Court Chief Justice, US Attorney for New Hampshire and Alex Walker should be required to explain their roles in this racket.
The Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team is complicit in protecting the enablers of those killing our children for profit.
Claire Best
The post The New Hampshire Catholic Medical Center Expose and the need to put a Spotlight on the Boston Globe’s Spotlight appeared first on Granite Grok.
Part 1 is here and you can see the Right To Know that I sent to a DCYF worker for a specific manual that I knew existed. Should have been rather simple:
Pursuant to the Right to Know Law (RSA. 91-A), I am demanding access, within 5 business days, to the following governmental record:
- Provide, as documented in RSA 169-C:34-a (therefore, public knowledge of its existence), the manual known as “Standardized Protocol for the Investigation and Assessment of Child Abuse and Neglect Cases”
Please note that this Governmental Record does not appear in RSA 91-A:5 Exemptions that enumerates specific governmental records that are not subject to the rest of RSA 91-A. Thus, the expectation is that this will be provided.
And I was patient until the 5 days were over. I emailed her again to remind her that she was now out of compliance with the Law and quoted RSA 91-A:4 that told her she was supposed to respond. She said that her lawyer told her that I could, effectively, look it up myself. Per my other RTKs that I’ve done: not acceptable as it obviates the entire RSA. I demanded to know who her lawyer was AND that I’d be bringing it to the Judge that we’d both be seeing a little while.
I think that last bit PLUS getting that name, Amanda Knifeton, set off another sequence of events within DHHS / DCYF. Why do I say that?
This escalated rather quickly! This afternoon, I had a very nice email thread with Dept. of Health and Human Services Deputy Chief Legal Counsel John Martin (DCYF is part of DHHS). Very gracious doesn’t begin to describe it:
—— Original Message ——
From “Martin, John” <John.B.Martin@dhhs.nh.gov>
To “skip@granitegrok.com” < skip@granitegrok.com>
Date 6/9/2023 12:58:52 PM
Subject RSA 91-A Right to Know requestGood afternoon. In response to your Right to Know request, please see the/ links below to two DCYF protocols:
https://www.doj.nh.gov/criminal/victim-assistance/documents/2021-ca-protocol.pdf
https://www.courts.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt471/files/inline-documents/sonh/Abuse-and-Neglect-Protocols.pdf
John B. Martin, Deputy Chief Legal Counsel
Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Legal and Regulatory ServicesBureau of General Counsel
129 Pleasant Street
Concord, NH 03301
Well, THAT was unexpected. Not so much what was sent but WHO sent it. Someone that didn’t have to send anything to this lowly blogger; I had to respond (note my emphasis now):
From: Skip <Skip@granitegrok.com>
Sent: Friday, June 9, 2023 2:56 PM
To: Martin, John <John.B.Martin@dhhs.nh.gov>
Subject: Re: RSA 91-A Right to Know request
Good (if rainy) afternoon in turn!
Thank you for sending those links – just in time. I was starting the process of submitting my petition to Belknap Superior Court per RSA 91-A:8; the filing fee check was already filled out.
Mr. Martin, glad to see that somebody either talked some sense into her OR tipped you off to save her bacon.
I AM someone who holds Government to account (NH Constitution, Article 8) and I don’t care what one’s title is or the letter that appears after someone’s name (if holding elective office) if it appears they have disdain for the phrase “Follow The Law”. Just ask the three Republican Legislator chuckleheads that are now in front of the NH Legislative Ethics Committee as well as suing my school board for enacting a Policy that was blatantly unconstitutional.
She owes you at least a cuppa coffee.
THANK you for your lawful attention in this matter. I consider this Right To Know fulfilled and now closed.
-Skip
And yes, I now have in my possession the document that I had requested. It SHOULD have been just that easy right from the get-go with my first email to Amy Fortin. The fact that it rose to #2 Legal Dude at the Department showed how wrong this went. Then this was even more unexpected (again, emphasis mine):
—— Original Message ——
From “Martin, John” <John.B.Martin@dhhs.nh.gov>
To “Skip” <Skip@granitegrok.com>
Date 6/9/2023 3:00:53 PM
Subject RE: RSA 91-A Right to Know request
Yes, I am very sorry about this. That was very poor public service on our part and you deserve better. I apologize.
John B. Martin, Deputy Chief Legal Counsel
Department of Health and Human Services
Followed by:
From: Skip <Skip@granitegrok.com>
Sent: Friday, June 9, 2023 3:15 PM
To: Martin, John <John.B.Martin@dhhs.nh.gov>
Subject: Re[2]: RSA 91-A Right to Know request
Appreciate the sentiment. I also agree with your statement.
However, while I thank you for your words, you were not in error – the required apology should have been from a different person.
-Skip
Followed by another unexpected offer:
From “Martin, John” <John.B.Martin@dhhs.nh.gov>
To “Skip” <Skip@granitegrok.com>
Date 6/9/2023 3:30:36 PM
Subject RE: Re[2]: RSA 91-A Right to Know request
If I can be of assistance in the future, please feel free to reach out to me. You can also feel free to reach out to Caitlin Sittig. She is the Legal Assistant for the Bureau of General Counsel. She is very, very nice and very, very helpful and responsive. She can be reached at:
DHHS.legal@dhhs.nh.gov
John B. Martin, Deputy Chief Legal Counsel
Department of Health and Human Services
Office of Legal and Regulatory Services
Bureau of General Counsel
Heh! “Thanks for the offer and I most likely will take advantage of it.” And I will, indeed. In fact, I already know of two things – one of which HE won’t expect. The other might, however, make him grimace a tad.
But all in all, a good conclusion. I got my documents, an apology, and an Object Lesson was served.
The post Part 3 – To Our ‘Grok Friends in the NH Legislature – Do You Know What Your DCYF Is Doing? Or Rather, NOT Doing? appeared first on Granite Grok.
Yesterday I wrote about the impossible odds that all these fires in Canada were wild, implicating a human hand. My first impulse was eco-terrorists. They love to create catastrophes and blame Climate Change. Man-made by their hand, not your lifestyle.
If you agreed, you were right; at least, it looks that way in Quebec.
Geological watchdog YouTuber Dutchsinse observed and shared what looks like innumerable coordinated fires erupting in South Quebec at the same time. You’ll see it all by 2 minutes into the video (keep watching at your leisure).
This is statistically improbable and maybe even impossible.
Suspicious might be a good word. Another is eco-terrorism.
So, there’s nothing wild about these fires unless you’re like, dude, what’s wild is it’s not just Quebec. Every province but Yukon and Nunavut have them, and it’s worse in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
Given the new observations over Quebec, it is reasonable to suggest coordination could apply to every Province where forest fires are currently raging if not every fire. Remember, the Canadian Mounted Police have been arresting arsonists whom they have tied to some of these fires.
And now it is “note to the eco-terrorists or the government” time, or whoever it is that is doing this. First, this is releasing a significant amount of stored CO back into the atmosphere, which – if I recall – makes you very angry. Very angry indeed.
You have reduced the CO2 sequestration potential by burning hundreds or thousands of acres of woodland.
AND … the plumes of particulates will likely reduce the measured global temperature at a time when you can’t shut up about how hot it is, even when it’s not.
I’m sure none of that matters as long as you get your unaffordable electric vehicles, solar panels, and wind machines, none of which – say it with me – are green. But there is a bright side. Some dufus at the New York Times just pointed out that while you may need to wear a mask due to the crappy air quality, almost none of them will do the job (which confirms they couldn’t do a damn thing during COVID, just like we said).
Oh, and this just in before publication. “Solar farms that power New England, for example, were generating 56% less energy at peak demand times compared to just a week before, according to data from ISO-NE per Bloomberg.”
ISO New England is a non-profit, independent regional transmission organization that provides services to the six states of the New England region: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
The same damn thing will happen when volcanoes erupt. So, what’s the plan for preventing those? Bwahahahah!
HT | Greg Reese Substack
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Both the U.S. government and OPEC are making price increase noises about crude oil. CNN and Morning Star Research are saying OPEC+ announced a cut in production of about 1.4 million barrels per day this week. The Saudi’s, by themselves, plan to cut 1 million barrels per day.
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It’s another Biden foreign policy success.
Look for the Saudi cut to start on or about July first. The planned duration is at least one month and maybe longer, meaning into the fall. The motivation for the Saudis to drive oil prices up is the Saudis have domestic spending to pay for. They have engaged in a fair amount of infrastructure spending, airports, “The Line” and assorted projects in their cities.
The Saudi goal is to move oil prices from about $75 per barrel to $87 per barrel. They really want $95 dollars a barrel which is an increase of crude price by more than 25%. The U.S. Energy Information Administration says there shouldn’t be much impact on you and me immediately, but by the New Year look for retail increases of about 10%. Trust that assessment at your own risk.
The Saudis say they are not worried U.S. producers will step up and pump more. Their expectation is the Biden regime will limit any expansion of U.S. fossil fuel production due to the Biden regime’s commitment to tilting with windmills and solar panels.
China is the world’s largest importer of fossil fuels. Did you know that? Why is it okay for China to use huge and growing amounts of fossil fuels? Something just isn’t logically consistent in the application of our regime’s policy. We are committing economic suicide to advance China’s interests.
You can’t be too reliant on China. They are such a good, trusted trading partner and ally. There’s nothing to worry about there… right? Remember Biden’s deft handling of Afghanistan, the supply chain disruptions, etc…
The post It’s Another Biden Foreign Policy Success. appeared first on Granite Grok.
Weeks Memorial Library in Lancaster, New Hampshire, was to be the location of a drag queen story hour. Regular readers will have heard – we’ve covered it a few times. One of the featured “queens” was Emoji Nightmare (Justin Marsh), the creator of Cumpstrella.
Related: They Took the “Queen” Out of “Drag Queen Story Hour” (Are They Hiding “Her” in a Closet?)
First, yes. They are still hiding the ‘Queen.’ From the sponsors to venues to the reporting, it’s Drag story hour or “A couple of presenters in drag.” They are massaging the thing to try and make it less likely to raise red flags.
It’s not working (Boston Globe).
People brought complaints to the trustees, then they urged the town’s selectmen to intervene; they circulated petitions online, had posts all over social media, and began calling for people to travel to Lancaster to protest. Some reportedly invoked concerns about “grooming,” a term that’s often used to smear LGBTQ people as sexual predators.
Library staff, meanwhile, received an onslaught of harassing phone calls with vile messages that seemed to be coming from well outside the local community, Hutchins said.
It is difficult to say where the line is drawn when snowflakes tell you what made them melt. History suggests that the alleged outrage was less likely intimidating than suggested, but I feel obligated to remind our readers. We say it all the time. You should express your opinion, frustration, disagreement, and distaste, but do not intimidate or threaten.
I did suggest that folks reach out to the event’s many sponsors and ask them where the “queen” went. Drag story hour. No queen. Not sure if that happened, but something did.
And yes, I’d bet more than a bit of the discontent came from outside the community, but so did the Drag Queens. What’s your point?
It is common practice on the Left and a flanking maneuver you should bring up reluctantly. To do so invites reminders about how Antifa and BLM were moving people from city to city to “protest” locally and, in more than a few instances, engage in theft, assault, arson, and other forms of property damage—all to advance their preferred message via intimidation, the threat of violence, and actual violence.
Parody: Dartmouth To Offer DQSH Degree
We don’t do that, nor should we. Shouting down speakers is also verboten – feel free to inject opinions between their words. That isn’t very pleasant, but it protected speech. And so it is with the canceled event in Lancaster. People spoke on both sides, and someone got spooked. Local PD and the venue decided they could not control a peaceful protest outside a public building (also protected speech).
I don’t think they had anything to worry about, but the optics were likely unfavorable, so someone pulled the plug.
So, congrats on taking a page out of the progressives’ manual. You have successfully prevented at least one disgusting human being from having access to children and their idiot parents.
They can use the time to figure out where they hid the Queen in Drag Queen Story Hour.
The post Is The Right Learning to Act Like the Left? Drag Queen Story Hour Canceled … Over Security Concerns appeared first on Granite Grok.
Everyone is forgetful from time to time, which is why it is as important to exercise your brain as it is to exercise your body. Some of the main reasons people find it hard to recall information are being overwhelmed with information, feeling tired or getting older. These games are the perfect way for people of all ages to stimulate their brain as well as being fabulous fun!
Kim’s GameA popular game for children’s groups such as Scouts as well as for reputable organizations such as the military, Kim’s Game is easy to play. One person is the leader, the other(s) are the guesser(s). Set several random objects on a tray or table for the guesser(s) to memorize. After a set amount of time, the leader covers the items with a blanket, removing one or more. The blanket is then removed, and the guesser(s) must name the missing object or objects. The more items there are on the tray, the harder it is!
SimonPocket Simon was a must-have gift for 80s children, with the electronic toy a favorite with all ages. The device has four light-up colored sections in blue, red, yellow and green. The machine plays a pattern for the user to repeat back, adding one color at a time until a mistake is made. This popular toy has been modernized for today’s kids but follows the same familiar rules, making it fun for those who had a ‘Simon’ first time around.
PairsThis simple memory game is always well-received. Players take it in turns to match an upturned piece with its partner. Pieces guessed incorrectly are turned back over but stay in in the same spot so players must use their memory to find the pairs. Games like these are popular with senior living facilities offering memory care for seniors as they can help improve recall.
Brain Training GamesBrain training apps and games are extremely popular as they are a fun way to exercise the brain. The opportunity to better your previous score also appeals to the more competitive senior. Although these apps might not improve memory, they can help strengthen the connections between brain cells, a sign that you are learning something new.
‘I Went Shopping…’ GameA long-time favorite of parents traveling with young children, this memory game is great because it doesn’t require a board, pieces or anything more than your voice and memory! A person starts by saying, ‘I went shopping and I bought [something beginning with ‘a’]’. The next person responds by saying ‘I went shopping and I bought [the object beginning with ‘a’ named by player one and something beginning with ‘b’]. Working through the alphabet and adding to the list can be a challenge and bring up some surprising suggestions of items bought!
Improving memory through games can be entertaining and give plenty of fun moments to the whole family; however, if you are concerned about the memory of a loved one, encourage them to seek medical advice.
The post Classic Games to Improve a Senior’s Memory appeared first on Granite Grok.
To all those who are sending in memes, thank you! Keep them coming please, as it helps me gather weaponry to fight the Left. Please do share this post, and if you share an individual meme, consider mentioning you saw it on the Grok!
Speaking of, from this week, Monday Memes and Meme Overflow. Also don’t forget my Survival Sunday feature (from last week; working on one for this Sunday).
*** Warning, a few possibly off-color ones, in case tender eyes are about ***
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Spicy time idea, presented as an intellectual exercise. As I commented when I posted this on Gab:
I remember reading, some years ago, about a professionally-dressed moving crew that showed up at a high-end school. They swiftly disassembled an expensive grand piano (apparently worth a LOT), packed it, took their time to do it right, and exited with the thing.
It was only a few days later when nobody had heard anything about the piano or when it was coming back that people started asking questions.
Yup. Thieves. Nobody questioned them because they looked like they belonged.
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PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA
Scammers can turn your profile picture into deepfake porn and blackmail you, FBI warns – Daily Star
I remember, some time ago, seeing a pr0n video clip advertised of a certain famous actress. (OK, ok, being a fan, yes, I did click through… but I did not believe it was her although – visually – it was convincing.) Had I not investigated and found articles about it, and having seen it debunked as being another pr0n starlet with a deep fake face mapped on, it’d have been utterly convincing that it was that person.
Consider, also, the news that your voice can be captured and measured to create you-sounding audio:
Fake Kidnapper Cloned Girl’s Voice in AI Scam Call to Mother: Report (businessinsider.com)
From a personal security standpoint I have certain things I’ve taught my family that I will say if kidnapped that seem innocuous but actually convey “I’m in trouble but can’t talk about it”. Which means they need to call the police. Same for them calling us. There’s a great scene in the sci-fi book The Mote in God’s Eye where aliens, who can mimic human voices perfectly, attempt to fool some humans. One of the humans asks that voice, pretending to be their captain, a question “Where do you get your Irish Mist”, understanding that the real captain could not only answer correctly, but would understand the context and hidden purpose behind the question.
But I repeat something that I’ve said several times now, and it bears repeating some more. With digital mattes and video mapping and AI sound analysis & replication and so on, we’ve now come to an age where we cannot believe our own eyes and ears unless we are physically there in person… or talking with someone whom we trust who was there in person. Our circle of trusted information, which once grew and grew with technology like radio and TV and pictures & film and so on, has suddenly collapsed into a very small circle indeed.
And to any pr0n people making a faked video of me? Could you please airbrush me onto a body with six-pack abs? I’d like to see what I look like as a “buff” guy.
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You will not “endure” your way through this. Nor will you “grey man” your way through this.
The enemy has been planning this for over a century. They’re funded with, essentially, infinite money and fueled by a truly missionary zeal to enact their great Socialistopia. While they may not have accounted for what you, specifically, might have planned… they’ve contingency-planned out enormously.
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BOMBSHELL! Mel Gibson about to EXPOSE all of them
I’ve enjoyed Gibson as an actor; less so as someone who is, IMHO pretty clearly, a Jew-hater. Still, I do view this effort for children as a good thing.
Some time ago a good friend speculated that one of the reasons so many in power – whether elected or merely at high levels – stays in line is because of pedo blackmail. That’s discussed here in the video. Also discussed is that those who refuse to participate are told “Nice family you have… be a shame if something happened to them”.
I suspect the same for scientists and lab techs who put 2 + 2 = 4 with respect to the Jab. We’re not just talking billions of dollars. We’re talking about power, and an ideology that doesn’t mind murdering millions to try and push itself forward.
Last summer, at a water park, we were getting ready to go when a distraught woman carrying a young child was walking through the crowd screaming a child’s name. She also screamed his description, begging for people to look around and asking if they’d seen a kid with this outfit. I had to wonder – and still do – if they found that child… or if that child is just a statistic now. That’s why, even with my kids getting to pretty decent ages, I am so hawkish about being watchful over them when we’re out, particularly in a crowded area.
Added: While the original Wall Street Journal article requires a subscription, look here:
Cheese Pizza? Meta’s Instagram Facilitated Massive Pedophile Network – Summit News
All those people who dismissed those who talked about “pizza” being a code word? Wrong again. What are we conspiracy nutjobs up to now in terms of being right. But speaking of being right:
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https://granitegrok.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/guy-says-ok-to-use-political-violence.mp4
Note the willingness to use political violence which, presumably, the speaker thinks can be dialed up and down as required (let alone do so based on exceedingly flimsy rationalization of it being necessary). I seem to recall reading something about that. Wait, here:
A friend of mine who is a political activist said something interesting the other day, and that was for most people on the left political violence is a knob, and they can turn the heat up and down, with things like protests, and riots, all the way up to destruction of property, and sometimes murder… But for the vast majority of folks on the right, it’s an off and on switch. And the settings are Vote or Shoot F*cking Everybody. And believe me, you really don’t want that switch to get flipped, because Civil War 2.0 would make Bosnia look like a trip to Disneyworld.
Understand – I do not want violence. I don’t. I keep praying for a better way out. But you cannot swear it off completely.
Be peaceful. Don’t be harmless.
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Pick of the Post:
OMG.
If you don’t look at that and have a heart-tug, you don’t have a soul.
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MHO? There will not be a 2024 election. But, interesting:
NASA Warns of ‘Internet Apocalypse’ That Leaves People Offline for Months, Blaming “Right Wing Extremism” – Geller Report
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Palate Cleansers:
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I’m done here.
The post Friday Meme Overflow-Overflow appeared first on Granite Grok.
Emphasis mine:
Condemning capitalism is nothing new in this country. We’ve heard the angry criticisms all of our lives, and they weren’t novel when we were young. It’s tragic, really, that so many in the West see the tension between “capitalists” and their ideological opponents as merely a conflict between ideas about which economic system we should have.
But it’s more than that. It’s a battle between freedom and subjugation.
Capitalism is not an economic system imposed by government in the way socialism or communism or any form of Marxism or planned economy is imposed on people against their will. Capitalism is merely the economic activity that men will engage in when left alone, when they are free to act as they wish. It is spontaneous, ordered and entirely organic.
When men are free to trade with each other without government intrusion, they will inevitably seek and sell capital. And why wouldn’t they? It is their nature. Innovators and entrepreneurs hungry to make their ideas flesh need capital to fund their ventures. Those who have capital see opportunities to reap profits, so they trade their capital in an open market for profits to be realized later.
This is not exploitation but the manifestation of liberty.
I highly suggest that you read the LAST part of this post at the link below as it talks about how Democrats/Progressives can’t stand this unsubjugated and controlled economic activity as it IS the existential threat to their end goal – absolute political Power.
Why else are they hellbent at this time for the Administrative State vomiting up rule after rule, regulation after regulation, and ordinance and policy at the speed of the largest firehose you can imagine?
(H/T: Issues and Insights)
The post Notable Quote – “…A Battle Between Freedom and Subjugation” appeared first on Granite Grok.
When focusing your plans and goals on expanding your company, both in terms of raising the average price value of an order and taking on more and more new customers, the use of perks and incentives for both employees and customers is always an excellent tool.
So, with this in mind, here are four key incentive ideas for companies focused on expansion.
1. A Waste Reduction Scheme
Incentivizing your employees to work towards a common goal, as either part of their daily tasks and responsibilities or as an additional target, is an excellent and highly effective method of ‘rallying the troops’.
If your company is in the manufacturing industry and therefore produces an inordinate amount of waste product each and every month, you could initiate an incentive scheme to reduce the amount of waste.
This particular example fits squarely into what is referred to as an internal growth strategy, as changing actions can result in a higher level of profit, which can then be plowed into a new project or advertising strategy.
2. Invest in the Physical & Emotional Health of Your Workers
Another fundamentally excellent way of both showing your team members how much you appreciate and value them and indeed ensuring that no falls in efficiency and productivity occur due to too many sick days and paid time off is to invest in their physical and emotional health.
Providing assistance, and helping to aid members who want to quit smoking, for example, serves a dual purpose. Most importantly of all, individual employees will save money and have a healthier and longer life, and you will stop losing time they could be working when they are sneaking a cigarette break in.
3. Strategic Growth Aimed at Customers
Not only do incentives and benefit programs serve to benefit and motivate employees, but another tried and tested method of growing and expanding a company involves the incentivization of existing and potential customers.
Launching a customer reward program, for example, would be an excellent way of keeping customers’ loyalty and hopefully making your business the first choice for a repeat order. Customer loyalty and reward programs fall under the umbrella category of strategic growth action, and unlike the more organic growth strategies that concentrate on using internal resources, strategic growth is usually more effective.
4. Hold Your Own Corporate Networking Event
Once you have created incentive programs to both motivate and engage your employees and reward and tempt your customers, it is time to turn your attention to other businesses.
Holding your own networking event is a fantastic way of making new connections, expanding your ‘little black book’ of useful contacts, and generally increasing awareness around your brand in the professional arena.
If you are currently not in a position whereby it would be entirely viable to hold your own networking event, book yourself on one or more industry-specific events instead, and make a concerted chance to mingle, chat, and make some new contacts.
The post 4 Incentive Ideas for Companies Focused on Expansion appeared first on Granite Grok.
Nikki Haley hit the bullseye this week and said what many of us have been thinking. She was emphatic when she said a vote for President Joe Biden is a vote for Kamala Harris. It is clear to anyone with an objective eye that Joe Biden is rapidly aging and is not fit for the job of President. That does not mean in 2024 or 2028, when he will be 82 and 86, respectively, but right now, in 2023. Biden formally announced his intention to run for re-election six weeks ago and has not yet held a single campaign event. There can only be two explanations for that lack of effort. Joe is either so confident in his position that he does not have to campaign until the primary season is behind us, or he has announced and is not totally committed to his decision. I’m in the camp for the latter explanation.
We do not need to witness a fall like Biden took at the Air Force Academy Graduation to know that Joe Biden is not in control of his faculties and does not understand his surroundings. Yes, anyone could have tripped over an ill-placed sandbag on stage, but most people would have seen where they were walking and avoided the obstacle that took down the leader of the Free World. More alarming for me was Biden’s inability to remember the term “pilot” or “aviator” when he was trying to speak about the person who flies a plane. Pretty bad when you are addressing a class of Aviators or Pilots. We no longer have just the familiar gaffes to watch for, but we now have Joe’s mental lapses, and they are frequent. So frequent that they are why his staff will not let him out on the trail and why he is working such a light schedule.
Former Press Secretary Jen Psaki and current Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made the ridiculous claim that Joe is a night owl and works long into the dark of night. That is complete hogwash. Joe is not working into the night or day. Biden’s schedule for Tuesday was a Daily Briefing at 10, followed by lunch with his VP at noon. There is nothing else on his schedule. Tuesday is not a holiday, weekend, or travel day. I did not omit activities for the afternoon. There are none. With all the issues facing this country, our President wraps up his workday with lunch.
The White House refuses to address Biden’s schedule or fitness for duty. When Jackie Heinrich of Fox News asked whether Joe Biden was ready to take on the rigors of the campaign and his job, KJP went into a litany of Joe’s accomplishments for the first two years and how it has been the most successful Presidency in our lifetime. Sorry Karine, you did not answer the question, nor will you ever. Whenever Joe is asked that question, his answer is always the same-just watch me. Well, Joe, we are watching you, and what we see is a bumbling, stumbling, and, yes, falling old man. That is not what America wants to see in our leader, nor what the world wants to see. That is, except for our adversaries that are chomping at the bit, hoping American voters screw up again and reelect Joe Biden and future President Kamala Harris. They know we may be one Biden/Harris term away from total collapse.
We do not have a full-time President. We have Joe Biden going through the motions. We do not need an older, more feeble Joe Biden propped up behind the Resolute Desk for four more years, or, God forbid, a President Kamala Harris cackling and spewing word salad speeches either. Let’s smarten up Americans, listen to Nikki Haley, and make the Biden/ Harris team a one-and-done chapter in our history.
The post A Vote For Biden Is A Vote For President Harris appeared first on Granite Grok.
If you look back at the Trump years, nearly every bit of chaos, turmoil, or upheaval was the result of Demcorats. When they lost in 2016, they caused trouble every chance they had, and it never stopped. Hasn’t stopped.
Fake news, fake dossier, fake scandals, fake impeachments, fake social media feeds, everything leading up to their fake election of fake Joe Biden. All of that chaos was generated on the Left buy the Left.
And what’s it been like since Biden stumbled into the oval office? Chaos. Race, crime, the border, the economy, education, culture, COVID, gender, debt, everything. Every damn thing.
These people peddled themselves as the adults who would bring back civility and end the division they created so they could claim to be the cure, just like everything else they’ve ever done. And this is not the first time we’ve said it.
They create the problem, then act like a cure, and when the cure is worse, they blame someone else.
It’s all chaos.
The post Quick Shot: Democrats are the Party of Chaos appeared first on Granite Grok.
We learned that Republican attendance still put them in the minority today as compared to the Democrat caucus. With 8 Republican members out, and 4 on the Dem side, it put the numbers around 191D-187R in the morning and hovering around 188D-182R later in the day. It is the reason some nanny state bills passed today.
We learned that SB14, the game camera bill, passed on the consent calendar. On the surface, this is good news as this bill would prohibit someone from putting a game camera on your property without your permission. However, there was some other language tacked onto this bill by the Criminal Justice Committee though: HB473 which would reduce the penalty for a first time drug offender, on a simple personal use amount, drug possession charge from a felony to a misdemeanor. That language was ITL’d by the Senate already and they are likely to kill this bill now with this additional language. This is why the Senate has tucked the game camera language into another House bill (HB221). There are clearly “bill games” afoot between the Senate and the House.
We learned that SB70 passed on a voice vote, which allows for the establishment of an online election information portal. This will allow people to register to vote online and request absentee ballots. Estimated costs to build the portal is $477,000 plus $268,000 per year to maintain thereafter. It also takes “Help America Vote Act” money and puts it towards the purchase of new voting machines for municipalities. I wonder when they will enact a “Stop Voter Fraud Act” to combat the shenanigans that will likely happen when people register to vote, or request absentee ballots, from home or other “remote location”.
We learned that it took us 2 hours to vote on 5 bills before lunchtime, with an hour of time taken up exclusively talking trash with SB61. This is a bill which would direct DES to hire a 3rd party to do some technical analysis to assist DES to develop new and improved landfill siting rules within a 2 year period. No new landfill permits will be granted during that time. The committee amendment passed 312-61, and a more stringent version of the committee amendment died 152-226. In the end, the amended bill passed 236-132, and now goes back to the Senate with its changes. The Senate may decide to kill this bill since they have tucked the original Senate language of SB61 into yet another bill (HB211 – an energy bill). As I said, Senate “bill games” are afoot.
We learned that because the Democrats held a majority, they pulled SB149 off the table and passed it with a roll call vote of 191-187. This was a bill regarding nurse agencies and establishes a licensing and application procedure for them. Nurse agencies are used by our county nursing homes to fill nursing positions that are needed. As usual, more regulation will be put in place in NH by Democrats.
We learned that after lunch the House concurred with the Senate version of HB1 (the budget bill) with a 351-25 vote. HB2 (the trailer bill which directs how the budget is spent) met with some resistance. There was a motion to Table HB2, which failed 44-334. That was followed by a motion to Concur with the Senate. The resulting roll-called vote to Concur was 326-53. Interestingly enough as soon as the vote was concluded, the sun came out. It must be because the House made history by concurring with the Senate changes (by quite a large margin), and not going to a committee of conference. House Majority Leader Jason Osborne (R-Auburn) said that the House and Senate delivered a fiscally responsible spending plan that meets the needs of our state and addresses many of our top priorities, without raising taxes. Contents of the budget included reforms to the emergency powers statute, a 7 year sunset for the Granite Advantage Healthcare Program, and fully repealed our state income tax (the interest and dividends tax) at the end of the biennium. There was also more money for education too.
We learned that SB204 passed by voice vote and will require that all state-occupied buildings (including liquor stores) have trauma kits and allocate $50,000 to purchase and distribute them.
We learned that SB110 passed with a 190-180 vote, and creates a better definition of “residency” for use by municipal welfare purposes and for hospitals, correctional facilities, treatment program centers, and emergency shelters including motels paid for by service providers. It basically clarifies residency status of transient individuals for purposes of determining responsibility for local assistance.
We learned that all 188 Democrats and 15 Republicans voted to Table SB132. That bill would have prohibited cities from adopting sanctuary city policies. The Table vote was roll called 203-168. The bill mirrored federal law by prohibiting the creation of policies, ordinances, etc., that restrict, limit, or prohibit state or local law enforcement from protecting and serving their communities. The bill reinforces the law enforcement’s ability to communicate with immigration officials on illegal immigration matters.
We learned that SB94, relative to residential child care licensing, passed 329-34. This bill updates the current statutes regarding definitions and licensing renewals requirements for child care providers.
We learned that SB118, requiring children under the age of 2 years to be restrained in a motor vehicle, passed 192-173. It requires parents place their 2 year old (and under) in a rear facing child seat. This was a nanny state bill which has been heard before in the House. In prior years we had enough Republican votes to kill it. Not so much today.
We learned that another nanny state bill passed in a roll called vote: 186-179. That bill was SB256 which requires OHRV operators to complete a safety certification program, even if you’ve driven one for years. However, if you were born before Jan 1, 1978 then you are exempt from such certification. The law would be phased in starting July 1, 2024. Rep. Ted Gorski (R-Bedford) said that with bills like this, NH is fast becoming the “No Fun State”.
We learned that CACR9 – a constitutional amendment providing that the NH primary be the First In The Nation was Tabled via a voice vote. That’s actually a good thing… as this isn’t something that belongs in our NH Constitution anyway.
Finally, as we roll into “Committees of Conference” Season, we’re going to see more “bill games” being played between the House and Senate. Let’s just hope and pray that what comes out of it actually benefits Granite Staters. Oh, and lest I forget… Governor vetoes… what will he veto?
The post So Kids, What Did We Learn From This Week’s House Session (06/08/23)? appeared first on Granite Grok.