The Manchester Free Press

Sunday • March 1 • 2026

Vol.XVIII • No.IX

Manchester, N.H.

ROPER: The Public School System Is Destroying Our State

Granite Grok - 8 hours 17 min ago

Stop Giving It More Money! As Vermonters gear up for Town Meeting Day and prepare to vote on the local school budgets that will determine our statewide property tax bill, please consider that the post-Act 60 public school system we have created is destroying our state. It has become a money-sucking vortex of incompetence eating ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

NE Take: Constitution Party of NH State Convention and Trump’s 2026 State of the Union

Granite Grok - 10 hours 17 min ago

This week, on NE Take, A. J. left his home to speak to people in the real world. First, he attended the Constitution Party of New Hampshire’s Fourth State Convention and spoke with Chairman Edmond Laplante and Camp Constitution’s Hal Shurtleff. Then, he joined WKXL’s Cail and Company to break down Trump’s 2026 State of ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Hard sci-fi “TV” series features Keene, free staters

Free Keene - 10 hours 43 min ago


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=522rVr2TIsc
News release from RidleyReport.com:

“Ona Staines, John Stark and King Philip himself are returning from the grave as key characters in an optimistic but terrifying passion project: Legends of the Free State. Legends tells the fantastic yet largely accurate story of New Hampshire, deep into her future and deeper into her past. A Randian exercise in Ringworld-style science fiction, the program speculates: Why is NH such an over-achiever? From the low crime rate to the high per-capita income, could there be something more at play than just her freedoms? Something….unnatural?

Ridley answers with a counterintuitive mix of art and archeology, deploying us first into a geosynchronous O’Neill colony stationed above New England, then to the Antediluvian world of 9600 B.C. It’s the pregnant era where prehistoric humans are just beginning their advance against New Hampshire’s retreating glaciers, where a shimmering “human” figure fills the night sky, and an annoying, conflicted child discovers the magical Object which is destined to affect every square parsec of our universe.

But even the production process is proving to be not-entirely-human…a team effort between one man and his artificial assistants at AI creative hub Poe.com. Former news videographer Dave Ridley of Winchester, NH says he’s using the platform’s image generation models to provide both alternative and opportunity.

“Some viewers,” says Ridley, “are tired of space shows that ignore the laws of physics, prevent you from watching them on Netflix or demand major suspension of disbelief every five minutes.  Some of them barely last five minutes.”

By contrast, Ridley says he’s trying to make a long form series that is “scientific, believable and ruthlessly accessible.”

“It’s hard to get reliable accuracy out of these early video generation models and fact-checking bots; we’re making physics mistakes too.   But we’re trying to get this right, and we’re improving fast.”

In terms of accessibility, Ridley is hitting that from two different angles.

1) Like the trailer, his series is expected to air for free on Odyssey, where no login is required and VPN viewers are welcome. Revenue will likely come from product placement and limited advertising.
2) The amateur futurist also plans to release his screenplays and raw notes into the public domain, providing “every available sentient being” the data and permissions they need to produce their own Legends content.

“At a time when everyone is worried about AI replacing jobs, this is an attempt to create jobs with AI, ideally create a new industry. For now let’s call it ‘decentralized AI film-making.’ Everyone should be free to run with Legends themselves and make money off of it as they see fit. You could have your favorite AI write a book in the Legends universe and sell the paperback or produce your own side episodes for upload at Odyssey. You could submit them to Apple TV for syndication or start a Legends store on Bonanza…there are a lot of possibilities.  If you can produce good enough content that fits into the world of Legends, I guess I’d pronounce you canon and give you free publicity.  Otherwise no harm done.”

You can learn more and eventually see the screenplay at:
https://forum.shiresociety.com/t/hard-sci-fi-tv-series-legends-of-the-free-state-brings-nh-icons-to-life/14011

But first, Ridley and his AI teammates will have to prove themselves capable of telling a deeply human tale.

“To me this is a visual story that feels electrical. But the world might disagree. Watch the trailer (above) if you like; decide if I’m on the right track; decide if you want to build your own episodes and push this new genre toward its golden age.”

MACDONALD: We Help Give Iran Back to the Persians, And…

Granite Grok - Sat, 2026-02-28 22:00 +0000

I’ll open with this. There are a lot of reasons to be distressed about the US and Israeli attacks on Iran and its response. The Peace president, many will say, ought not be lobbing ordinance hither and yon. But what if it brings peace? Real peace. And despite what the Trump haters think or the ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

OPINION: House Bill 1815 (“Cost of an Adequate Education”) … Hardly An “In Your Face, State Supreme Court”

Granite Grok - Sat, 2026-02-28 19:00 +0000

So we saw this a few days ago: Intrigued, we read the linked article. According to the bill (House Bill 1815)’s sponsor, Bob Lynn, HB 1815 is a repudiation of the ConVal decision: “I think basically what it says is, ‘You, court, got it wrong. You didn’t give us the proper role that we have. You ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Cardello: They Aren’t All Hatin’ On Trump

Granite Grok - Sat, 2026-02-28 17:00 +0000

There was a rare moment at this year’s State of the Union speech that is getting very little attention, and it should, because it may actually be a sign of a much bigger movement. Trump was going through his list of accomplishments and scattered in the introduction of Americans seated in the gallery to help ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

KLAR: How Good Intentions Inflict a Vicious Cycle of Poverty

Granite Grok - Sat, 2026-02-28 15:00 +0000

Both political parties have been signaling their commitment to addressing the so-called affordability crisis. A recent report suggests that well-intentioned initiatives to increase minimum wages, while supported by a majority of voters, generally have a negative economic effect on those most in need. Good, old-fashioned economics explains why supply and demand do not bend to ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

The Role Of Software Providers In Online Slot Development

Granite Grok - Sat, 2026-02-28 12:30 +0000

Have you ever thought about who actually creates the online slot games you enjoy playing on your phone or laptop?  Behind every colorful theme, smooth animation, and exciting feature, there is a team of software providers working quietly in the background. They are the ones who design, build, test, and improve online slot games so ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

What Is an Excavator Final Drive?

Granite Grok - Sat, 2026-02-28 12:04 +0000

The final drive unit (also called a travel motor or track motor) is the power source of an excavator. It is the key component that converts hydraulic energy into the high torque needed to drive the tracks and let the machine travel over any terrain. This guide will detail the key components of an excavator’s ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

MACDONALD: Wife Beating In Joe’s Afghanistan

Granite Grok - Sat, 2026-02-28 12:00 +0000

Did you hear the news? “Moderate” members of the Taliban, when not polishing the military hardware Joe left them for sale to our enemies (like China) so they can reverse engineer it, just made a progressive leap that has to have Dems dancing with people in inflated frog costumes. The Telegraph apparently obtained the 60-page ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

SIMS: Cheshire County Republicans Announce 2026 Lincoln Day Dinner

Granite Grok - Sat, 2026-02-28 10:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 23, 2026 Contact: Cheshire County Republican Committee Email: cheshirerepublicans@gmail.com The Cheshire County Republican Committee (CCRC) invites members, supporters, and friends to the annual Lincoln Day Dinner, honoring conservative principles and featuring dynamic speakers. Event Details Join us on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at 6:00 PM in The Dublin Room at Tempesta’s ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

OPINION: In Defense of National Borders

Granite Grok - Sat, 2026-02-28 03:00 +0000

In his essay on “Right Wing Populism” Murray Rothbard proposed to build a political coalition to overcome one of the main obstacles faced by liberty movements at election time, namely, the problem that “the numbers simply weren’t there.” Building a popular coalition would address the numbers problem by uniting those who share political goals in common, even ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

The Independents: Vaccine Mandates, Homeschool Freedom & the Liberty Line

Granite Grok - Sat, 2026-02-28 01:00 +0000

This week, on The Independents, Carla Gericke sits down with Melissa Blasek, Executive Director of RebuildNH and former Merrimack State Representative, to discuss two major liberty flashpoints in New Hampshire. • HB 1811 – The bill that would have repealed all childhood vaccine mandates for school and daycare attendance, making immunization purely voluntary. After a ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

MACDONALD: NewsGuard is Back – Here’s How it Went (Part 3)

Granite Grok - Fri, 2026-02-27 22:00 +0000

Welcome to my ongoing review of questions challenging my “journalistic integrity” (except I’m not a journalist), in which I use their challenge to challenge theirs right back.  NewsGuard doesn’t guard news, as we all know, proven in real time by these posts showing what they ask me and my response. Here are the links to ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

MACDONALD: Help Cosmo Get the Surgery He Needs [More Updates]

Granite Grok - Fri, 2026-02-27 20:30 +0000

Originally published January 28, 2026 – Please scroll down for all updates. Personal: My dog, Cosmo, needs surgery, and we have started a GiveSendGo donation page (no fees) to help cover the costs of procedures, tests, and treatment.  The GoFundMe page is still there, but we are not directing donors to it (too many fees) ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

SMITH: Will Epsom Truly Comply With The Students First Act? (Part Deux)

Granite Grok - Fri, 2026-02-27 19:00 +0000

Just a few hours after submitting my previous article, I happened to see a post by commie NPR complaining about Cornerstone inciting litigation, in which Attorney Ian Huyett replied.  I recognized a window of opportunity to call attention to my issues with Epsom’s data reporting and jumped on it by replying to Ian.  My goal was to ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Friday Meme Thing

Granite Grok - Fri, 2026-02-27 17:00 +0000

Another week almost in the can, and time to get the weekend meme party started. As a reminder, we have a handful of people to thank for all the memes we share each week. Brian, Matt, Deb, David, Laura, and then a few others. Without them, you might have to roam the wilds for your ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

KLAR: Live Free or Starve!

Granite Grok - Fri, 2026-02-27 15:00 +0000

New Hampshire legislators are trying to bring a semblance of freedom back to the meat market. New Hampshire’s House passed a bill on January 7 that would allow farmers to slaughter and process livestock on the farm and use local “custom” slaughterhouses without a USDA inspection. This would permit direct-to-consumer sales of individual cuts of ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Morning Update: Prove It!

Granite Grok - Fri, 2026-02-27 12:00 +0000

Today, on the morning update, with the EPA repealing the endangerment findings, states are left to demonstrate the dangers of CO2 to their own citizens, and this one couldn’t prove it in the best possible way. Ep. 116 Links: Check Out More Morning Update Here! – Also available on Rumble, Instagram/Reels, and Steve’s Substack. Follow ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

ORTOLANO: Sunshine Week and the Shadows Over Nashua’s Performing Arts Center

Granite Grok - Fri, 2026-02-27 10:00 +0000

Each March, Sunshine Week reminds Americans that open government is not optional; it is foundational and well-regarded in New Hampshire as a Constitutional right. The public has a right to know how its money is spent and how its officials conduct business. Yet here in Nashua, one of the city’s largest public projects was structured ... Read more

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Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

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