This Wednesday, the Executive Council will vote on the nomination of Andrew Livernois to the State Superior Court. Sorry for the short notice. We just heard about it today. Before anyone says yes, perhaps they should consider this.

In the midst of the Gunstock kerfuffle, the County Attorney (Livernois) advised members of the County Delegation regarding the calling of an emergency meeting to address open seats on the Gunstock Area Commission. To quote Skip – it was his length article filled with emails and letters and commentary – his impression of the nominee’s response is that “EVERYTHING in the Law is a “grey area” (so go do what you want). And now the Delegation is getting sued over it.”

I don’t assume to know the details of the law or the Gunstock situation, but the result of that advice was that the Delegation got sued for not following the law.

That might seem like a minor oversight with room for misinterpretation of the advice, but Skip isn’t short on emails, letters, or details, so you can be the judge before anyone makes Livernois a judge.

I’m not saying this is disqualifying, but it might not be the only thing that went sideways while he was a County Attorney.

The nomination will be decided by the EC on Wednesday, first thing.

The post Lawyer Whose Advice Probably Got a County Commission Sued is a Sununu Nominee for Superior Court appeared first on Granite Grok.

Gender warriors like to tell us that if we don’t transition children at the first sign that they might be “in the wrong body” – and they are the judge, jury and chief executive of what the signs are (as opposed to parents) – they will be more likely to try and kill themselves. That’s a lie.

“There are no long-term studies demonstrating benefits nor studies evaluating risks associated with the medical and surgical interventions provided to these adolescents. There is no long-term evidence that mental health concerns are decreased or alleviated after ‘gender affirming therapy.’”

The one study the groomers do quote [University of Washington-Seattle], doesn’t tell us what they claim. A “subsequent reexamination of that study’s data found “slightly higher levels of depression but significantly and substantively meaningful differences in anxiety and self-worth, and with results favoring [children without gender confusion], even when the [gender-confused] children had high levels of parental support for their gender transitioning.”

 

“Both before and after ‘gender affirming therapy’ (GAT), adolescents who have gender-identity incongruence are at higher risk for psychopathology than their peers who identify with their biological sex,” reads the abstract of the review published this month by the American College of Pediatricians (ACPeds). “There are no long-term studies demonstrating benefits nor studies evaluating risks associated with the medical and surgical interventions provided to these adolescents. There is no long-term evidence that mental health concerns are decreased or alleviated after ‘gender affirming therapy.’”

Part of the problem is that there are no stidies “comparing outcomes between those using and not using puberty blockers, so they stated ‘it is unknown whether people with gender dysphoria who use puberty blockers experience more improvement in gender dysphoria, depression, anxiety, and quality of life than those with gender dysphoria who do not use them. There is very low certainty about the effects of puberty blockers on suicidal ideation.’” 

According to the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, which encompassed more than 11,000 children between the ages of nine and 10, gender-confused children “were more likely to experience depression (2.53 OR), anxiety (2.70 OR), conduct problems (3.13 OR), and suicidality (5.79 OR),” even that young. A follow-up with twice as many children who were one year older found “significant relationships” between “mental health symptoms and gender diversity for all dimensions assessed.”

And,

“When transgender-identifying adolescents who were using gender-affirming [sic] pharmaceuticals (963) were evaluated separately, their use of mental health care services did not change but their use of psychotropic medications did increase.”

The evidence increasingly suggests that other issues like ASD, trauma, or sexual abuse trigger gender dysphoria. Convincing children who lack the capacity to grasp the consequences of irreversible hormone or surgical interventions to undergo transition doesn’t address the root mental health issue. It, in fact, makes matters worse and likely increases distress and the likelihood of self-harm.

In other words, the idea that we need to trans kids for their mental health is, at best, a lie and, at worst, just evil.

The post Researchers: No Proof Transitioning a Kid Reduces Suicide, Probably Makes it Worse appeared first on Granite Grok.

Another Monday arrives.  Gag me.

Take heart – there will be both a Wednesday and Friday Edition.  Last week’s Friday Edition.

Remember, ridicule and mockery are effective weapons:

1. Ridicule cannot easily be fought
2. Ridicule makes the enemy angry, and angry people make mistakes
3. For those in the “squishy middle” a Thought Splinter (and Part II and Part III and Part IV) can often be hidden inside humor.

Now, let the mockery and mayhem begin.

 

*** Warning, a few possibly off-color ones, in case tender eyes are about ***

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My I stopped believing in the goodness of government moments were the combination of WACO and RUBY RIDGE.  And the aftermath where nothing happened to anyone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

OK… but how is that actually working out for the town?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And with what spare money?

 

 

 

James Woods going in for the kill.  Epic!

 

 

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

 

PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA – PSA

 

 

 

 

How soon before the current requests to help house migrants here in the US (*cough Massachusetts cough*) becomes a demand?

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Excellent point.  Had tofurkey once.  Would rather starve.

 

 

I wonder if there could be a connection between the above and the below.  Hmmm…

 

 

 

Turnabout is fair play.  You’ve been trying to destroy Israel since its founding.  But then… while we’re discussing the UN, let’s take that down too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

Links (some from me, some from my Jarhead friend):

Links blew up.  Sorry.  Next time.

 

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

 

Pick of the post:

 

 

 

Islam is an aggressive, supremacist religion.

 

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

 

Palate Cleansers:

 

—

—

 

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

 

Come back Wednesday for another edition.  Same Meme Time.  Same Meme channel.

Please do consider buying me a coffee.

Buy Me a Coffee

 

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

 

 

The post MONDAY MEMES appeared first on Granite Grok.

I see via NoScript that GraniteGrok is still on Disqus; otherwise, I would have entered your competition for the weekly prize. Refer to my Grok column of last 21-Apr, in support of legalization and against a new industry created by a government that intends to administer legalization and fight all mishaps.

Dr. Ebner writes “As a parent” and “As a physician”–credentials that imply that merely replying as a functioning mind and a lover of liberty will open criticism on one’s fitness to debate.

As always, the “public” is not a body and does not have a “health.” The collective does have statistics–and people can and do try to manage us by the numbers, with uniformly disastrous effects.

Ebner’s second paragraph, on trends over a generation, implies that the desire for recreational mood alteration has not changed but only the choice of tools.

Of course, marijuana has been bred to increase the THC; that is called “satisfying the customer,” and is irrelevant because you can get nearly pure THC if you want it, as Ebner notes.

Very much of “addiction” is a pleasurable habit that the doctor would like you to abandon, as the doctor’s fees, ratings, and self-worth come from minimizing morbidity and maximizing longevity, not the overall pleasure of the customer’s life.

We have known for decades that nicotine withdrawal causes irritating effects caused by the drug itself. This was not true for THC; perhaps it is in higher doses. But irritability, for example, might be caused by not being allowed to experience the pleasurable high at will.

What is “distressing to [Ebner] as a physician” is irrelevant. That the customer live his life as he sees fit should be paramount. Primum non nocere.

Association (with mental illness) is not causation. It would of course be healthier not to take frequent recourse to mind alteration. But it’s what the customer wants.

Finally, we get to the hoary monster, “opioid epidemic.” There is no epidemic since there is no contagion. Your reefer does not infect me unless I will it. Is this guy really a doctor?

Yes, “there is no safe way to introduce something that is unsafe.” But more basic, there is no safety on planet Earth. We cannot achieve prevention, and we cannot even know how close we have gotten without comparison to an alternate reality. Letting government tout safety is not only letting it dictate our values but writing it a blank check.

What a surprise to find out at the end that Dr. Ebner is on some Committee with a cute acronym and has a Study for us to read.

The post Dr. Ebner and Reefer Madness appeared first on Granite Grok.

A few of our past winners have been surprised to learn that the recognition is not just honorary. They get free stuff. So, here’s a reminder to the commenters, of which we have many: You can win free Grok stuff.

I have also listened to you about considering the average commenters’ ability to compete with our author’s comments and some other concerns. For example, it’s not much of an incentive if Ian Underwood wins every week, even though he consistently delivers top-notch remarks that stretch the debate into new territory.

An effort is made to spread the recognition and the free stuff.

This Week’s Winner

We got into the weeds this week, or more specifically, weed. Marijuana was one of several contentious ‘hot’ topics that drew a lot of debate, which is why we post these things. It’s not always about what I or any of our authors think; it is about leveraging ideas to grow engagement. You can send me op-eds even if they differ from my public position or anyone else’s here, in print or comment. Submission is no guarantee of publication but as a reminder,

The views and opinions expressed by contributors are those of the author and may not reflect the opinion or position of Grok Media, GraniteGrok.com, its authors, advertisers, donors, or sponsors.

We do have a rebuttal to Dr. Ebner’s piece on marijuana posting this morning, so look for that.

Everyone had great comments, but NHnative Ian, Ken, Pun Salad, bj030644, gramps, Tombstone Gabby, Kat, Still Standing, Jim Gill, and AllyforFreedom got a much closer look this week.

And the winner is:

Think I’ve said this 100x, but nevertheless, I’ll say it again: Before Corona, I never thought I could home school, now I love it! I always wanted to homeschool, because deep down inside, I knew public school was failing my older son – he went through 7th grade in public school in MA. Once they took learning virtual and I saw how terrible the entire thing was, I knew I could serve him better.

I was also, and still am to this day, super offended and upset by the masking, social distancing, the plexiglass and stickers like cattle corralling! It was a straight-up prison camp. I would never allow my sons to be abused in that way and made to believe they have to bow down and go along with lies and a backward society. Homeschooling has allowed me to shelter my two sons from the madness out there while also nurturing and fueling their own personal growth, talents, likes, etc.

They have both flourished so much!

It’s amazing the change in our family and day to day world now in 2024. My oldest will be self-declaring graduation next year, and my younger is in 4th grade.. never having been exposed to public school, except six months of kindergarten in 2019/2020. We learn in such different ways now, but it’s better than ever.

Homeschooling lets you make every learning point natural, you can set any time of schedule and change it up whenever you feel like it. I cannot rant enough about how important centering the learning around the student NOT around a predetermined curriculum that is outdated and nowadays, literally anti-human! Having white sons in the world today… well, I’m sure most people here, reading this type of stuff can understand the level of unjust hate and discrimination they would have to face on a day-to-day basis.

It is lightly edited here for readability but has excellent points and a fantastic story. AllyforFreedom, if you would be so kind as to reach out to me at steve@granitegrok.com, I can get a shipping address from you.

 

And if you are interested, Jim Gill came in a close second with,

Every Republican candidate running for office, should ask their constituents if they would like to hear the story of how books too obscene for the legislature were found appropriate for NH’s school children?

He’s right, so let’s help make that happen.

The post Another Week, Another Comment of the Week Winner appeared first on Granite Grok.

What is it about white liberal women that makes them lie about their ethnicity to rob progressive victim-class members of jobs, opportunities, and accolades? It’s always white liberal women, like Lizard Warren.

The University of Wisconsin’s Kay LeClaire, Dartmouth’s Susan Taffe Reed, Arab-Latina Queer Feminist activist Raquel Evita Saraswati, and who can forget Rachel Dolezal (white, black, and American Indian).

We also reported on Heather Rae, an Award-winning producer who served on the Academy of Motion Pictures’ Indigenous Alliance, previously headed up the Sundance Institute’s Native American program.

That’s not all of them, but it is a parade of post-Warren proggy white chicks busted for fake ethnic claims and credentials, ascending in the predictably progressive spaces. It also doesn’t say much for the Liberal gate-keepers eager to pad their resumes with a diversity hire, which might also explain all the plagiarism in Universities and lack of scientific or intellectual rigor just about everywhere else.

But none of them has fallen on harder times than Rachel Dolezal. The former Spokane NAACP president had to resign after her parents outed her with pics of a freckly, blonde, very white teenager. Since Rachel has been unemployable, later changing her name and moving to Arizona, where her habit of bad decision-making has followed.

Race faker Rachel Dolezal has been fired from her job teaching at an elementary school in Arizona after it was discovered she is now working as a OnlyFans model.

Dolezal, who changed her name to Nkechi Diallo, has been listed under payroll records at Sunrise Drive Elementary School as an after school instructor.

She’s not listed there anymore. They let her go, and no, the aging Dolezal, aka Nkechi Diallo, should not rely on her home-porn platform for a sustainable lifestyle unless it is poverty. Reporting suggests she doesn’t make much (about 1020.00 a month).

If I might make a suggestion.

With a name like Nkechi Diallo, you could probably go down to the southern border and catch a bus to just about anywhere, get free hotel accommodation, and a subsistence lifestyle, plus the 1220.00 a month.

Millions have tried it, and they don’t even speak the language.

The post Remember Rachel Dolezal? Her OnlyFans Page Just got Her Fired from a Grade School in Arizona appeared first on Granite Grok.

Jailing your political opponents is bad. Killing your political opponents is bad. Pretending that only Putin does these things … and Zelensky and the Biden regime do not is also bad.

Especially when you are pretending on the very day that a regime-“judge” trying to bankrupt Donald Trump (and his family) in order to prevent Trump from being elected President (for probably the third time) is somehow not a variation on the theme of jailing and killing your political opponents.

Especially when you are pretending on the very day that the corruption and incompetence of a regime-“prosecutor” is … for the second day in a row … is being exposed. And what is also being exposed … through his nonfeasance … is the complicity of NeverTrump Governor Brian Kemp.

Especially when you have spent YEARS pretending that the J6 prisoners are somehow NOT political prisoners and that a Trump supporter can get a fair trial in the District of Columbia, and you also conveniently ignore the different … TOTALLY different … treatment given BLM/Antifa versus the J6 protesters.

And especially when you have pretended that the Regime going after parents who oppose DEI and CRT at school board meetings is normal and that the Regime’s persecution of pro-life demonstrators is also normal.

And especially when you know that the lawfare being waged on Trump is just a continuation of the election-rigging and election interference that we saw in 2020, but you pretend it’s not.

So enough with the Navalny outrage.

The post Enough With The Navalny Outrage appeared first on Granite Grok.

For Swiss watchmakers preoccupied with growth, China is the relationship they cannot afford to ignore. As travel restrictions and duty-free limits limited outbound tourism, Chinese shoppers turned to domestic luxury shopping and boosted in-store sales.

Brands that prioritize digital adaptation and offer a seamless online shopping experience have an edge in this new landscape. But navigating China’s complex digital environment is not without challenges.

China’s Economic Resilience

After a sluggish start in 2021, luxury watch sales rebounded this year, according to data from market research firm Bain. The personal luxury goods sector, which encompasses fine jewelry and watches, recorded double-digit growth for the first three quarters of 2022, and is expected to reach a new record in sales this year. This is partly due to pent-up demand from Chinese consumers, who account for about a fifth of global luxury spend.

Luxury goods companies have adapted to economic uncertainty and volatility over the past few years, including investing in new production facilities closer to consumers to reduce logistics costs. In addition, the industry has a larger consumer base with a concentration of top customers who are less sensitive to recessions. It has also honed customer-centricity and a multi-touchpoint ecosystem.

The rebound in luxury spending by Chinese consumers is helping to drive global luxury markets, but the world’s largest economy has its own domestic challenges. In the wake of President Xi Jinping’s crackdown on “excessive” spending by high-profile individuals, Jefferies analysts Daniel Cereda and David Parker warn that Beijing risks destabilizing markets. But they point out that luxury purchases by China’s middle class are likely to remain resilient, especially if the severing of wealth-related connections between the government and business is limited.

China’s state campaign against luxury gift giving curbed growth in the country’s luxury market, which sank 0.9% in 2014, after averaging a 21.5% annual rate for the three years preceding it. Even prestigious luxury brands like Hermes, which sells the popular Birkin handbag that can cost up to $500,000, saw its China numbers decline that year.

But the slowdown was short-lived and luxury market recovery accelerated in 2016 as the country’s middle class gained financial confidence and became more comfortable with purchasing luxury goods. In addition, millennials and Gen Z — who are more likely to make purchases through digital channels than their older counterparts — continue to fuel luxury market growth. These trends are likely to persist. Nevertheless, the industry’s profitability remains below pre-Covid levels due to price increases and continued investment in digital and omnichannel platforms.

China’s Digital Transformation

For many luxury brands, China is more than a single market. It is the biggest and most important market in the world, one with a growing middle class, a sophisticated aptitude for digital engagement and a powerful role in shaping global trends. This makes it a formidable and challenging market for those who can get it right, but also one that offers greater rewards than anywhere else in the world to those who do.

Despite the recent slowdown, our observers all agree that the long-term outlook is very promising for China. Unlike other emerging markets, it has a much larger population of high- and middle-income consumers. Those consumers will be spending more in the future, not less, as their incomes rise. And they are increasingly willing to spend on high-end luxury products that can be seen and felt in-store as well as online.

While some analysts are cautioning against overstating the size of the Chinese luxury market, it’s worth remembering that it’s huge and still growing rapidly. In 2021, China’s market was estimated to be more than 520 billion RMB (about US$878 million). That’s roughly the same as Italy’s total luxury goods market and nearly half that of Switzerland.

In the short term, however, the economic woes of China have put a dent in demand for luxury watches. This is reflected in trade data from the Federation of Swiss Watch Industry (FHS) and results from publicly listed watchmaking conglomerates such as Richemont.

As China’s economy recovers, demand for luxury goods is expected to return. But the question remains how quickly that will happen, and what effect it will have on the global luxury watch industry.

The Covid-19 lockdown has pushed luxury brands to push their digital boundaries in order to be more engaging with Chinese consumers. This will help them mitigate the impact of potential future lockdowns, and also to weather any slowdowns in China’s economy.

At CEIBS, we are seeing more requests from the China or Asia Pacific HQs of luxury brands to set up training sessions that will showcase their digitalization experiences to their main HQs in North America and Europe. This shows that these HQs are listening and interested in the challenges that their Chinese colleagues are facing. They want to understand the digitalization journey in China and how it can support their overall strategy for growth.

China’s Social Media Culture

Despite China’s comparatively low average income, its consumers hold strong aspirations for luxury products. A key factor contributing to this is the country’s powerful “common prosperity” campaign, a cultural concept rooted in Mao and socialism. According to scholars such as Chris McNally, the “common prosperity” theme has evolved into a political strategy that discourages ostentatious displays of wealth and encourages consumer loyalty.

However, the Chinese luxury market is a complex environment for both domestic and foreign brands. It is critical that marketers understand the country’s culture and nuances when creating marketing campaigns. A misstep could lead to severe consequences for the brand’s reputation and sales.

As a result, it is essential that marketers focus on localizing their marketing campaigns and embracing the social media culture of the country. In doing so, they will be able to leverage the power of Chinese celebrities to increase brand awareness. In addition, they will be able to capitalize on the Chinese consumer’s growing preference for casual fashionable watches that reflect their own style and personality.

Furthermore, Chinese consumers are highly sensitive to brand reputation and storytelling. Hence, it is important for luxury brands to establish engaging official accounts on Weibo and WeChat to communicate their stories to the target audience.

For many international luxury brands, China has become a crucial market for their future growth. Moreover, the country’s recent loosening of strict pandemic control measures has opened up new possibilities for marketing and promotion in the luxury industry.

However, the country’s complexities and rapid change pose significant challenges for luxury brands entering the Chinese market. For example, city- or province-wide lockdowns can disrupt supply chains and slow factory production. Additionally, the government’s ongoing attempts to tame celebrity culture can undermine the credibility of certain marketing campaigns.

In order to succeed in China, luxury watchmakers must be aware of these complexities and keep up with the changing consumer behavior of the country. In doing so, they can ensure their future success in the lucrative Chinese market. Otherwise, they risk being left behind by their competitors in the country’s fast-growing luxury segment.

China’s Luxury Market Revival

While China has been a pillar of support for the luxury industry, it is no longer providing the same level of growth as before. A recent slowdown in China has caused many major luxury goods manufacturers to rethink their strategy and reassess their business plans. The luxury watch sector has also been affected by the weakening Chinese economy and escalating tensions between China and the United States.

However, there are several factors that have contributed to the recent revival in the luxury sector. Economic resilience has been a key driver, especially as high-net-worth individuals found that there were fewer opportunities to shop abroad. This is in addition to the fact that Chinese consumers tend to prioritize local products when making purchase decisions, which is a significant advantage for domestic luxury brands. Meanwhile, digital transformation has played a crucial role, particularly for high-end shoppers that have invested in WeChat and Alibaba platforms as a way to facilitate online purchases.

The recovery in the luxury sector has been fueled by strong growth in fashion, jewelry, leather goods and beauty. Additionally, luxury consumers are repurchasing and replenishing luxury items, while shopping for discounted prices through resale platforms and NFTs. These trends present new opportunities for luxury manufacturers to capture the attention of young consumers who are embracing a more modern lifestyle.

This generation of wealthy Chinese consumers are redefining their notions of luxury, shifting from traditional fine watches to more fashionable styles that fit with their individualized aesthetic and exemplify their social status. Moreover, discerning luxury consumers demand products that align with their ethos and values while meeting their emotional and functional needs. This has given rise to the rise of “soft luxury” and “momentary luxuries” for high-end brands in China.

Amid the resurgence in luxury sales, best-in-class luxury-goods companies have been able to increase product prices and manage cost inflation. They have also been able to reduce expenses through creative pricing strategies and collaborations, which has helped protect gross, operating and net margins. Consequently, they are poised to outperform their Western counterparts in 2023.

The post The Role of China in Luxury Watch Growth appeared first on Granite Grok.

On November 5, 2020, Mr. Cummings, Administrator Director for the City of Nashua, signed a contract with the Consultant Services Commercial LLC in reference to the Performing Arts Center construction. Mr. Cummings was representing the City of Nashua and would be the only person from the City of Nashua to receive updated information on the progress of the construction of the Performing Arts Center and costs with three other Mascoma Bank employees.

Mr. Cummings actually got a promotion from Economic Development Manager to Administrator Director during this time of non-compliance of a contract. Could it be because he hid the construction costs from Nashua taxpayers so well?

The contract stated that the consultant shall deliver all reports prepared hereunder via-email to Mr. Cummings. However, it now comes out that Mr. Cummings never received these reports and never requested them from the consultant even though Mr. Cummings knew that the Performing Arts Center cost would go up to over $30 million dollars. It appears that the city has no contract compliance policies on its books, and therefore, it is no big deal that Mr. Cummings did not follow up on this contract.

Mr. Cummings careless attitude shows that he is unfit for the job that the Nashua taxpayers are paying him for. The Nashua taxpayers are paying Mr. Cummings $153,000 per year for a job that he is not qualified to handle. Maybe Mayor Donchess needs to get a person who actually will do the job for the Nashua taxpayers. Nashua taxpayers deserve better. I, therefore, request that Mayor Donchess fire Mr. Cummings and get someone who actually cares about Nashua and is qualified to do the job for Nashua residents.

I would also request that Mayor Donchess get copies of the Consultant Services Commercial LLC material pertaining to the Performing Arts Center that was forwarded to Mascoma Bank. The Nashua taxpayers took out $21 million dollars in bonds and also guaranteed another $9.5 million dollar loan with Mascoma Bank for a total of $30.5 million dollars for the construction of the Performing Arts Center, and Nashua taxpayers have the right to see this information even though Mr. Cummings feels that taxpayers do not need to see this information.

Nashua taxpayers need someone who is looking out for taxpayers and actually doing the job that they are hired to do. Nashua residents should be able to hold city employees accountable for their actions and/or inactions.

 

The post Night Cap: No One is Looking Out for the Nashua Taxpayers appeared first on Granite Grok.

A woman who says she was banned from the local social media website Front Porch Forum is voicing her concerns over alleged censorship and political bias.

It has been reported that the site took more than a third of a million dollars in public funds last summer, which calls into question FPF’s categorizing itself as a private media company as it pertains to free speech laws.

The woman is Wendy Wilton, she is no stranger to Vermont politics. A Republican, she served on the State Senate from 2005 to 2006, she was the GOP candidate for Vermont Treasurer in 2012, and she had been treasurer of the City of Rutland for several terms. She has numerous commentaries posted online.

In an email to VDC, she said when she tries to log in to FPF now it tells her, “You are attempting to log into a deactivated FPF account.” She wrote, “I assume I have been banned from FPF as a result of my submission.”

Her submission was itself a critique of FPF’s policies concerning what gets posted vs. what gets denied. She sent a copy to VDC.

“Most people I know in political circles are well aware of Front Porch Forum’s censorship double standard,” she wrote. “I have experienced it first-hand. Users are fully aware of how the moderation seems to work: It’s OK to demean people who lean center-right, even if they don’t post on the forum, but not OK to challenge those who express extremely liberal views.”

She continued that attempts to reason with the management have been fruitless.

“And don’t try to appeal your right to speak your mind and encourage your opinion to be published. Challenge too hard and they kick you out. Sorta like the way Twitter used to work, and Facebook still does to some degree.”

She cited a VDC story about the apparent censorship of a faith-oriented event while supporting a pro-Hamas rally as “the ultimate expression of FPF censorship.”

She questions how much user support the site will continue to garner if it keeps up these policies.

She wrote, “I also noticed that FPF is seeking donations to support its operation, yet the faith group above was willing to pay for advertising space.  After the pro-Hamas rallies on college campuses, high-end donors are having second thoughts about funding their alma mater in news stories this week. I wonder how many FPF donors will continue to do so with censorship in place that favors opinions so far from the mainstream?”

She concludes, “Maybe the folks at FPF are happy as a far-left echo chamber and a garage sale marketplace, rather than a balanced community outlet to truly serve the public good. If so, perhaps FPF should change its name to something more truthful.”

Company took public money

Though officially a private company, FPF did take $361,500 in public funds via Federal Disaster Relief Funds. TechJamVt.com reported in September of last year “The Vermont Council on Rural Development has directed $300,000 in federal disaster relief funds from the Economic Development Administration to help upgrade Front Porch Forum’s capabilities.”

In a later report by Seven Days, the amount received was reported as $361,500.

According to CarnegieLibrary.org’s explanation of how 1st Amendment free speech laws work, it states that only a truly private company can refuse or censor content based on personal beliefs.

“The First Amendment only protects your speech from government censorship. It applies to federal, state, and local government actors. This is a broad category that includes not only lawmakers and elected officials but also public schools and universities, courts, and police officers. It does not include private citizens, businesses, and organizations. This means … A private media company can refuse to publish or broadcast opinions it disagrees with.”

 

We want to thank The Vermont Daily Chronicle for being a partner and supporter of  Independent Media. You can support us here, or if you prefer to donate by check, email steve@granitegrok com for details.

The post Government-Supported Front Porch Forum Accused of More Censorship appeared first on Granite Grok.

The House Children and Family Law Committee (HCFLC) should not be allowed to hide low on anyone’s radar, no matter the amount of relevance one might think it has personally, professionally, or politically.  In this election year, most of us can agree that NH is a hot mess in many ways and is not exempt from its share of nationwide woes.

I invite like-minded people who have a stake in this committee’s affairs to comment, discuss with each other, and perhaps write their own articles.  There are lots of passionate hard working people who have subject matter expertise, personal stories, and a history of trying to help people.  Unfortunately, there is no shortage of bad actors and loudmouths promoting the wrong agenda.  On the “other side of the wall,” there’s a certain dumb blonde lawyer who’s always cosplaying Mrs. Helen Lovejoy into the mic when she’s pushing her partisan agenda thinly disguised as compassion.

Welfare school lunch comes to mind, but let’s get back to the House.

Our Speaker selects committee leadership and its members. I commented on a few committee assignments at the beginning of last year. And I also commented on the embattled Sanborns here. Let’s look at the team roster of the HCFLC here. There’s a lot of dysfunction to discuss.

The word “dysfunction” is often used in discussing family dynamics, which this committee should be committed to the preservation and improvement of.  I’ll jump back again to the “other side of the wall” again for a moment because the use of that word came to mind from when Sharon Carson, the sponsor of a failed Parental Bill of Rights(SB 272), used it while addressing the rest of the senate in a matter nongermane to the HCFLC.  Let’s dig in and discuss some of that dysfunction, shall we?

Starting with the chair, we have the arrogant, nasty, and pontificating charlatan Rep Pearson.

I’m talking about the father, not the son. There are too many “problem political families” in NH, as most Granite Staters know, and the Pearson family does not receive as much attention as the Sununus or the Greggs (more on them in a moment).  Chairman Pearson was the HHS chair last time around, and he was extremely condescending, long-winded, and rude with the gavel to members of the public, members of this committee, and other reps (both former and future).  Much can be said about him, but that could turn into a very long scenic side trip.  I have reason to believe that he was reassigned from HHS to HCFLC by the Speaker in the same way a disgraced senior priest is often relocated to another zip code hundreds of miles away is by the Arch Diocese.  Out of sight, out of mind, but let’s move on.

The vice chair, Patrick Long, a career politician, as seen here,  is a member of the enemy camp.  And he’s not the only enemy camp member in a position of responsibility.  The clerk, Peter Petrigno, is even worse!

The first time Petrigno got my attention was shortly after the 10/13/21 executive council arrests.  Elliot Axelman of the Liberty Block sent a post-incident survey to all 424 members of the legislature on what should be done about the Damn Emperor ordering unlawful arrests of his peaceful critics. Sadly, it received a bipartisan snub, for the most part, but some reps replied and even commented. Petrigno was one of the respondents and said some very hostile things about the 9 arrest victims.  I am unfortunately unable to retrieve that spreadsheet containing his words, but anyone interested in fact-checking it is encouraged to contact Elliot Axelman.  Petrigno also signed a May 2020 group petition to the Damn Emperor demanding that NH be masked.

NH House Dems Demand Mandatory Mask Order for Granite State

And here’s where he changes his tune with regard to authoritarianism: the SB 272 House Education Committee hearing on 4/18/23.  He and fellow HCFLC member and Milford Rep Maria “loca en la cabeza” Perez ranted their opposition to the Parental Bill of Rights.  Petrigno said into the mic, “No one has the right to compel someone to do something against their will.”

Dude, what about “mask choice,” huh?

Maria Perez is in a league of her own regarding her mental fitness. Much can be found on her if you do your own internet search, which I encourage you to do.  Why would the Speaker think such a lunatic would make good decisions that involve the well-being of kids?

And let’s talk about that Gregg in-law.

She’s got some domestic baggage that can’t possibly interfere with the ability to serve the best interest of ALL NH kids and families, now can it? And don’t let that son of a governor’s last name fool you into thinking she’s not a member of the enemy camp.  And the husband is definitely in bed with Nashua’s ruling class as he was just elected to public works last fall.

Jodi Nelson won a special election, but like Bill Boyd, quickly showed her true colors as a RINO in the way she voted shortly after being elected.

What a disappointment, but let’s move on.

Queen Heather, aka Rep Raymond, had the school gavel and ruled the Nashua Board of Education with an iron fist, muzzling the students and her fellow members.  I’m sure the recently ousted Paula Johnson has much to say about Heather, who called the police on Paula and took her drama show to national news, but just as relevant is her record with DSS.  A kid in the system died on her watch, as I noted in my earlier piece on committee assignments.

What kind of responsible leader would allow such a blemished record in a committee tasked with serving “the most vulnerable?”  I put those words in quotes because the enemy camp loves to use them when using said people as tools to advance their agenda.  Similar questions need to be asked in many government bodies, panels, boards, commissions, departments, and courtrooms regarding the youth center scandal.  I direct you to the multitude of articles by Claire Best here.

Committee members Debra DeSimone and Lorie Ball, though Rs on paper and possibly ok people at the time of committee selection have proven themselves enemies of RTK in the 2/1/24 roll call votes on HB 1002.  Unless it’s a family privacy issue, RTK is for everyone.

As for the following reps, Bickford, McMahon, Grossman, Gibbons, and Levesque, they voted ITL on HB 1308, parental access to library records.

And I would be remiss to ignore an opportunity to lampoon a LEVESQUE anyway, just saying, no disrespect against Neil from St A’s.

Seemingly there are only two good eggs in the HCFLC that I can confirm, one of them, Sheila Seidel, only by the way she voted on HB 1308.  Any additional praise for her is certainly welcome in the comments.  And the other is Sandra Panek for her unwavering activism in election security reform.  Sandra and Sheila can’t do the work of the whole committee, just like one member of a family can’t fix the whole family alone.  I suddenly think about Minuchin and his theories on enmeshment and disengagement.

It’s late in the season.  There are sure to be some senate bills coming to this committee later this spring, but readers should think about this toxic committee at election time and how to get some personnel changes to occur, if still necessary, after the election.  Replacing the Speaker, followed by replacing the chair, vice chair, and clerk, might be a good place to start.

The post Attention to Dysfunction in The House Children and Family Law Committee appeared first on Granite Grok.

Nikki Haley’s recent requests for federal Secret Service protection coincide with revelations that Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.’s similar pleas in 2023 were coldly dismissed.

In such highly charged political times, understanding the guidelines that determine when candidates are afforded security at public expense reveals whether such rules are being applied fairly. It is striking that Barack Obama was provided Secret Service protection far earlier in his campaign, seemingly because of his skin color, but the federal government still refuses to supply security to a Kennedy despite that family’s tragic legacy of assassinations.

Recent disclosures regarding the Secret Service’s decision to deny Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. protection as he campaigns for president suggest the Democrats have become extremists willing to do anything to retain power. The U.S. government began providing protection to major party candidates following John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963. However, it does not appear to have applied these protections consistently with its own guidelines in Bobby Kennedy’s case, undermining its stated purpose “to maintain the integrity of the democratic process and continuity of government.”

Secret Service guidelines provide the parameters of who qualifies as a candidate, the process by which threats will be assessed, and a timeline for protection -– generally, candidates are only provided protection within one year of the election:

Protection under these guidelines should only be granted within one year prior to the general election. Protection more than one year prior to the general election should only be granted in extraordinary, case by case circumstances in consultation with the committee, based on threat assessment and other factors.

Bobby Kennedy applied for protection in May of 2023, providing a detailed explanation of personal threats against him. This was denied in what Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton called a “dangerous and vindictive” refusal by the Biden administration. Kennedy said there were two more denials of protection after that. It is unclear whether President Biden had any input into the decision, but Judicial Watch reported that Biden’s Homeland Security secretary, Alejandro Mayorkas, was the official decision-maker issuing the denial.

Surely, Bobby Kennedy should have been provided security by now, just nine months before the 2024 election.

Bobby Kennedy now polls above 20% as a third-party candidate, qualifying him for protection under the guidelines. Nikki Haley, who as a major party candidate must demonstrate a 15% poll support for 30 days to qualify, may have a hard sell. Kennedy has steadily gained in the polls despite obvious gaslighting, deplatforming, and biased attacks by the Democrat apparatus and its mainstream media propagandists. With Joe Biden’s mental competence obviously shattered, compelling Kennedy to absorb half of his campaign contributions to protect his life hardly seems like a boon for the democratic process. (Kennedy is a far superior candidate to either Biden or Harris).

Biden’s Banana Republic has been built on lies and toxicity. A self-proclaimed “uniter” who condemns half of Americans as domestic terrorists and racists, Joe B. has launched a woke federal government takeover for transgenderism, climate change, racism parading as restitution, and every other neo-Marxist, America-hating fad he can clutch. Like a corrupt third-world dictator, President Biden appears to be deliberately exposing Kennedy to assassination, or at least the anxiety that accompanies that ever-present threat -– Joe Biden could instead demonstrate his mental acuity (and human decency?) by calling for fellow Democrat Kennedy’s protection ASAP.

Jimmy Carter granted Democrat rival Ted Kennedy Secret Service protection in September 1979, 14 months prior to the election. Favoritism for people of color has extended to Jesse Jackson and Barack Obama: Obama received protection 18 months before election day, apparently premised on his skin color and threats –- apparently, threats against a white man don’t carry the same weight in America, even if leveled against a Kennedy.

An entire nation watched as John F. Kennedy, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated. The Warren Report’s “magic bullet” travesty has never satisfied the smell test for credibility: and neither does the denial of Bobby Kennedy’s Secret Service protection. Most major polls appear to simply sideline Kennedy even as his support grows -– especially among young voters. Sapping his campaign funds while exposing him to anxiety and possible murder appears to be the obvious, deliberate path of POTUS Biden.

Joe Rogan, citing that Kennedy has now been denied protection three times, called it “f***ing egregious.”

America witnessed the corrupt Democrat party machine deny Bernie Sanders a fair shot in its 2016 primaries, favoring Hillary Clinton in her doomed embarrassment of a campaign against Donald Trump. Now they witness an even greater display of naked-emperor shenanigans as an iconic Kennedy is thrown to the wolves –- and would-be assassins -– rather than allow his voice to be heard even by Democrat voters.

Voters are told it is Donald Trump who threatens democracy despite his four years of abiding by the laws that the Biden clan flouts. If a third Kennedy is slain, would there be any accountability by any government agencies? If the CIA didn’t kill John F Kennedy, Jr., it sure looks like the federal government is trying to kill this Kennedy now through base partisan nonfeasance.

Americans watching this treatment of Robert F. Kennedy. Jr. see that Joe Biden is hardly a kindly old gentleman with memory recall difficulties. If he hasn’t already, Donald Trump would do well to call for Kennedy’s Secret Service protection now that Kennedy meets all the requirements. Donald Trump can publicly rescue a Kennedy from the visible corruption of today’s Democrat party and “maintain the integrity of the democratic process” that the Democrats have visibly abandoned.

 

John Klar is an Attorney, farmer, and author. Mostly farmer… And Regular Contributor to GraniteGrok and VermontGrok.

The post Do the Democrats want Bobby Kennedy Jr. Assassinated? appeared first on Granite Grok.

The Electric Vehicle (EV) has always been a Climate Pootemkin Villiage. The mirage of climate activism incarnate. Unaffordable but to a few who expect those beneath them to follow their example. A class that forced car makers to build them and taxpayers to subsidize something with significant manufacturing downsides to the planet.

New EVs are none of the things promised, were pushed too hard, too soon, and the glut of used single-owner and fleet vehicles are chickens coming home to roost.

Used EVs are likely one of the riskiest transportation investments you can make. Depleted battery life and the threat of having to replace the power pack are cost-prohibitive to the buyer and the dealer, who can’t promise to defray the cost when it comes time to replace it – an expense that often exceeds the resale value of the vehicle.

Given how much pricier used cars and trucks have been since Obama’s Cash for Clunkers (thanks again, Democrats), dropping used EV prices might look appealing, but the combustion engine will win out on reliability, affordability (repair and insurance), and compatibility with the world in which we actually live.

These long-range truths are causing buyer remorse for people who bought into the EV bait and switch. They aren’t green to build, are not charged with green energy (except in rare instances), are not green to decommission, lose range, are expensive to ensure and repair, and – at some point -owners might not be able to trade them in for another vehicle.

Dealers want to sell cars, but there’s a declining incentive to take a used EV in trade. What are EV owners to do with a used vehicle they want out of when there are too many on the lot already? It’s a fair question whose answer, if I were a betting man, will involve another taxpayer-backed incentive (bailout) to address the problem, first at the state and municipal level and then for private owners.

Every fool who bought in will want out and not have to pay for the cost of their short-sightedness.

Another bad situation created by the government at taxpayer expense whose end-of-life solution will cost taxpayers even more, just like the wind and solar boondoggles.

The post Has The “Success” of EV’s Caused Their Collapse? appeared first on Granite Grok.

• These are the most liberty-critical hearings for the week
• Click on the bill number to read the bill.
• Click on the committee name to email the committee your thoughts.

Of the 52 hearings in the House, we are recommending support of 10 and opposition of 3 with 6 being of interest.
Of the 15 hearings in the Senate, we are recommending support of 0 and opposition of 1 with 1 being of interest.

Position	Bill	Title	Committee	Day	Time	Room	State Analysis
Of Interest	CACR19	relating to redistricting. Providing that an independent redistricting commission shall be established to draw boundaries for state and federal offices.	Election Law	Tue 2/20	9:00 AM	LOB Room 306-308	This constitutional amendment concurrent resolution establishes an independent redistricting commission to draw the boundaries for state and federal elections.
Of Interest	HB1098	relative to ballots delivered to elder care facilities.	Election Law	Tue 2/20	9:25 AM	LOB Room 306-308	This bill enables ballot clerks, assistant clerks, or clerks pro tem to deliver ballots to elder care facilities. This bill is a request of the secretary of state.
Oppose	SB538	relative to zoning procedures concerning residential housing.	Election Law and Municipal Affairs	Tue 2/20	9:15 AM	LOB Room 103	This bill establishes a tax relief program for office conversion to residences; enables municipalities to allow its governing body to adopt certain zoning ordinance changes; and adds additional authority in zoning powers for parking requirements and lot size requirements related to sewer infrastructure.
Of Interest	SB594	defining state approved processing facility and regulating on farm slaughter of amenable animals.	Energy and Natural Resources	Tue 2/20	9:15 AM	SH Room 103	This bill defines state approved processing facility for slaughtering and processing amenable animals and makes regulations regarding the on-farm slaughter of amenable animals.
Oppose	HB1351	prohibiting the sale and use of adhesive-based rodent traps.	Environment and Agriculture	Tue 2/20	1:00 PM	LOB Room 301-303	This bill prohibits the sale and use of adhesive-based rodent traps.
Support	HB1325	relative to allowing private ownership of small tailed monkeys, raccoons, foxes, otters, skunks, and kangaroos.	Environment and Agriculture	Tue 2/20	2:00 PM	LOB Room 301-303	This bill allows the private ownership of small tailed monkeys, raccoons, foxes, otters, skunks, and kangaroos.
Oppose	HB1505	establishing an animal abuse offender registry.	Environment and Agriculture	Tue 2/20	2:45 PM	LOB Room 301-303	This bill establishes an animal abuse offender registry.
Of Interest	HB1190	relative to adopting the interstate social work licensure compact.	Executive Departments and Administration	Tue 2/20	11:30 AM	LOB Room 307	This bill adopts the social work licensure compact.
Support	HB1391	allowing new vehicles purchased in the model year or before to be inspected in the second year after purchase.	Ways and Means	Tue 2/20	10:15 AM	LOB Room 202-204	This bill allows new vehicles purchased in the model year or before to be inspected in the second year after purchase.
Support	HB1278	relative to qualifying medical conditions for purposes of therapeutic cannabis.	Ways and Means	Tue 2/20	10:30 AM	LOB Room 202-204	This bill adds debilitating or terminal medical conditions to the qualifying medical conditions for therapeutic cannabis if a health care provider certifies the potential benefit to the patient. The bill also removes certain limitations on a qualifying visiting patient’s access to cannabis.
Of Interest	HB1204	relative to government agent entries into secured premises.	Criminal Justice and Public Safety	Wed 2/21	10:00 AM	LOB Room 202-204	This bill establishes requirements for when a government agent may enter a secured premises without a warrant.
Support	HB1276	relative to repealing the prohibition on the possession or sale of blackjacks, slung shots, and metallic knuckles except by or to minors.	Criminal Justice and Public Safety	Wed 2/21	10:30 AM	LOB Room 202-204	This bill amends the prohibition against carrying or selling a blackjack, slung shot, or metallic knuckles to prohibit sale to or possession of the said items by those under 18 years of age.
Support	HB1539	relative to annulling, resentencing, or discontinuing prosecution of certain cannabis offenses.	Criminal Justice and Public Safety	Wed 2/21	11:00 AM	LOB Room 202-204	This bill allows for additional annulments, resentencings, or discontinuations of prosecutions for certain cannabis offenses.
Oppose	HB1173	relative to the disposition of vicious dogs.	Environment and Agriculture	Wed 2/21	1:00 PM	LOB Room 301-303	This bill provides for the euthanizing of dogs that attack humans or domestic animals 2 or more times in a 12 month period.
Support	HB1501	repealing the requirement to register dogs annually.	Environment and Agriculture	Wed 2/21	2:00 PM	LOB Room 301-303	This bill repeals the requirement that cats and dogs be registered annually.
Support	HB1556	relative to exemptions from the rabies vaccine.	Environment and Agriculture	Wed 2/21	2:30 PM	LOB Room 301-303	This bill removes the requirement that dogs exempt from the rabies vaccine be muzzled.
Of Interest	HB1328	relative to public safety providers defined as essential services.	Executive Departments and Administration	Wed 2/21	10:00 AM	LOB Room 306-308	This bill deems all first responders as providing essential services.
Support	HB1174	relative to plumbing apprentices.	Executive Departments and Administration	Wed 2/21	11:15 AM	LOB Room 306-308	This bill permits a licensed plumber to employ 3 apprentices.
Of Interest	HB1335	removing Columbus Day as a holiday.	Executive Departments and Administration	Wed 2/21	2:00 PM	LOB Room 306-308	This bill removes Columbus Day as a holiday.
Support	HB1506	relative to required votes to approve issuance of bonds.	Municipal and County Government	Wed 2/21	1:20 PM	LOB Room 307	This bill requires that the approval of bonds issuance, if petitioned by at least 50 registered voters, shall be authorized only by a vote by ballot of 2/3 of all the voters present and voting at an annual or special meeting of the town, district, or city called for the purpose.
Support	HB1053	relative to permissible residential units in a commercial zone.	Municipal and County Government	Wed 2/21	2:30 PM	LOB Room 307	This bill requires that for new or rehabilitated buildings in commercial zoned districts in a municipality residential uses shall be allowed as a matter of right.

The post Bill Hearings for Week of February 19, 2024 appeared first on NH Liberty Alliance.

As a parent, I am concerned with the rising use of recreational marijuana in society, especially in our youth and young adults. As a physician, I see firsthand the effects of Marijuana on health, and it is clear the marijuana on our streets in 2024 is not the same marijuana we or our parents may have smoked in the 1970s.

Daily use of Marijuana among Americans more than doubled in the decade from 2010 – 2020, during a period of time when recreational use of marijuana was legalized in many states. In this same decade, while teen cigarette and alcohol use both dropped, marijuana use among teens increased. Public health initiatives seem to have succeeded over the past generation in decreasing tobacco abuse, only to be replaced by a new addictive health harm.

So what’s in a name? Marijuana and Cannabis are terms that are often used interchangeably to refer to the same plant and the chemical compounds derived from it. THC (Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol) is the main intoxicating component of marijuana, which gives a user a euphoric high. But today’s marijuana is radically different from the pot of the past.

“Woodstock weed” from the 1970s contained roughly 3% THC (that psychoactive component above). Over the past 50 years, the potency of the marijuana plant through selective breeding has increased to an average potency of 23% THC found today. This potency of THC applies only to the marijuana flower (or bud) that is simply dried and smoked. You see, THC can be chemically concentrated into products containing 95 – 99% THC. THC concentrates come as shatter, budder, waxes, dabs, gummies, and edibles. Concentrates can be vaped, smoked, or eaten.

We want to thank Dr. Joseph A Ebner for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
You can review our ‘Op-Ed Guidelines‘ on the FAQ Page.

Comparing today’s marijuana to that of the past is like comparing Ford’s Model T car to a Tesla. Both are automobiles, but other than that, they share very little in common.

The health concerns with marijuana come from the highly potent forms found in today’s market, not available decades ago. Marijuana use is a serious public health concern identified in many State Departments of Health because of the significant number of negative health effects associated with it, such as impaired driving, child overdose, marijuana-associated nausea and vomiting, and addiction withdrawal. High potency and high-frequency marijuana use are also associated with severe impacts on mental health, prompting a warning from the US Surgeon General in 2019 about the adverse effects on the brain.

Marijuana in 2024 is highly addictive, and long-term use of marijuana is associated with the development of Cannabis Use Disorder (CUD). CUD is a problematic pattern of marijuana use that leads to worsened academic and work performance, resulting in significant functional impairment or distress with relationships at the workplace or in school. The defining feature of CUD is the loss of control over marijuana use and persisting in use despite knowledge of adverse consequences. Marijuana use can produce chronic mood changes such as depression, and studies also support an association between marijuana use and exacerbation of mania in those with bipolar disorder.

Approximately half of chronic users of high-potency marijuana will experience withdrawal symptoms upon cessation: sleep difficulty, irritability or anger, anxiety, headache, and depressed mood. These uncomfortable symptoms can be significant enough for the resumption of marijuana use in a large proportion of individuals, leading to years of addiction.

Perhaps most distressing to me as a physician is the substantial evidence that chronic marijuana use is associated with an increased risk of psychosis and the development of schizophrenia. Even more distressing is the fact that adolescents and young adults who frequently use high-potency marijuana are most at risk of this long-term, chronic mental illness.

Marijuana use is rapidly increasing concurrent with legalization changes throughout the United States. Youth use in legal states is higher than in non-legal states, even though no state has legalized recreational marijuana for children under 18. Parental marijuana use increases the likelihood of marijuana and tobacco use and opiate misuse among household children.

New Hampshire HB 1633 is another attempt to “safely” introduce recreational marijuana into our state (at a time when we are still struggling with an opioid epidemic). The reality is there is no safe way to introduce something that is unsafe. I hope as a parent you will educate yourself on today’s marijuana and share your concern with your state representative. To learn more about the negative impacts legalized marijuana is having on other states and on our youth, please take a few moments to review the 2023-2024 SAM Impact Report.

2023-SAM-Annual-Report

Joseph A Ebner, MD, FACOG
NH Smart Approaches to Marijuana (SAM) Advisory Committee

The post Cannabis Use Disorder Is a Serious Public Health Concern appeared first on Granite Grok.

I saw a clip of a new MSNBC special, which aired on February 11th, called Black Men in America: Road to 2024, with Trymaine Lee, Charles Coleman Martin Jr., and Al Sharpton, to name a few. In this clip, these men stood around a pool table and discussed crime and how the black man is made into a criminal by the establishment’s (the implication being white folks’) deliberate defining of crime to include behaviors that are part of the “black culture.”

Their solution is to redefine crime.

I couldn’t find ‘just the clip’ anywhere, but the pertinent piece can be seen at 3:16-4:24 of this Matt Walsh program. They say “We can get rid of all the crime in America overnight, just like that. “All we need to do is “change the definition of crime.”

Setting aside the utter racism present in the clip, we can discuss the absolute ridiculousness of this idea to no end. Rape and murder are rampant in our cities. No problem. Lower the crime rate by making rape and murder legal. We don’t get rid of the behavior; we just don’t call that behavior a crime.

We see this idea being implemented across our nation right now and look at the results. Box stores closing in affected areas, because the theft of anything under $900 is no longer prosecutable, and filthy, dangerous, drug-infested streets strewn with human waste because we’re not going to enforce laws against street camping, are two obvious examples.

We want to thank Michelle Hoy for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
You can review our ‘Op-Ed Guidelines‘ on the FAQ Page.

I am appalled at the thought that people are naïve enough to fall for this pile of malarkey, but then I recall a casual conversation that I had with a 19-year-old young woman one evening. After splitting up with her boyfriend of two years, she was bemoaning the difficulty she faced in finding another prospective husband. “There is nowhere to go to meet someone,” she says, wanting to avoid bars and dating apps.

Realizing that I am treading on thin ice, I suggest going to a church’s meetings for singles. She admits that this is a good idea since she wants to avoid men looking to participate in hookup culture, but it wouldn’t be fair to a boyfriend candidate as he would be looking for someone with his beliefs, which she doesn’t share. Commendable, but to me, sad.

What aspects of the Christian religion doesn’t she embrace? Let’s look at a few of them. She supports sexual transitioning, not in children, thank goodness, and not the participation of biological males in women’s sports leagues, but she believes that the “transition” of one sex to another is an effective treatment for gender dysphoria and that it is morally acceptable; She supports gay marriage; She supports sexual activity outside the bonds of marriage; She supports abortion.

So, how does this all relate to the MSNBC special?

Both are further representations of the decline in our society. Today, the goal is to make everything that has been historically socially unacceptable okay. As a result, personal responsibility goes out the window. I don’t want to feel guilty, so let’s just make everything I desire acceptable. We can see how centuries of mores that have enabled us to build a stable society are being dismantled in the name of inclusivity and the promotion of mental health. (We can’t be burdened with guilt. That would be unhealthy, of course.) We no longer strive against the inner “natural man” to improve ourselves and stabilize society. No more “let your conscience be your guide.” We just go with whatever feels good at the moment.

This 19-year-old’s objections against Christian beliefs aren’t in its founding principles. They are against restraints on her behavior, restraints that are put in place to protect her and society in general. Let’s examine a progression…Avoid dressing provocatively. This will help you to avoid the temptation to participate in sex outside of marriage, which protects you against unwanted pregnancy, which protects against a child being raised without the influences of both a mother and a father, which protects our society in general from the damage that this leads to. Also, since my body tells me that I want to have sex, I need to support abortion so that I can do so without having to risk any of the ramifications thereof, just in case birth control fails.

We can see that the opinions of both this 19-year-old young woman and these men in the MSNBC program represent the decline in our society. There is no personal responsibility, and if society insists that there is or that there should be, we need to dismantle that preconceived notion. I’m not at fault. Society is, and it needs to be adjusted so that I can proceed with whatever behavior pleases me at the time, no matter what the resulting damage. It starts with how we dress and speak and how we treat our bodies and ends with the promotion of degenerative behavior, to the detriment of our society. God help us as we continue down this path!

 

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The long-held monopoly on the practice of law by licensed attorneys has indeed served to protect individuals requiring legal services from malpractice, but it has also served to protect the State from true challenges to its authority and practices.  Sometimes the system and its players are what should be lawfully challenged in court… but those beholden through tens of thousands of dollars in education investments to the good graces of judges may find themselves in a position where they cannot properly defend their clients.  This is why in New Hampshire I believe RSA 311:7, the prohibitor on allowing lay individuals to represent individuals, should be eliminated and the NH Bar Association’s monopoly on the practice of law dismantled.

As many of you may already know, I am not a lawyer.  I am a former law enforcement officer who has spent many hours studying law and listening to judicial oral arguments in efforts to better understand the American legal system and its function.  In 2011/2012 I was authorized to represent a journalist named Jason Talley in front of the Cheshire County Superior Court for charges stemming from his mere possession (not use) of a camera in a common area of a court.  Jason and I “won” the case together by attacking the system and individual judges for misconduct.  A licensed lawyer who regularly practices law in front of these judges most likely would be apprehensive to do the same out of fear of retribution from the very people who can control their law licenses or liberty interests of future clients.

As it stands now, a person of “good moral character” can practice law in New Hampshire so long as they don’t do it “commonly.”  What does “commonly” mean?  It seems to mean whatever the judge of the day thinks it means.

I believe this prohibition needs to be struck down…  and I believe this prohibition is in direct conflict with the New Hampshire Constitution, specifically Part I, Article 10.  That’s right…  it is my position that the NH Bar Association and NH Attorney General cannot monopolize and prohibit individuals from practicing law if they are intent on “reforming” the government through the codified Right of Revolution.

It is undeniable: The State of New Hampshire was founded by rebels.  Rabble rousers who were rousing rabbles.  They clearly had concern that future government might twist into the type of institution that they had fled from: a government that offers special protection to some, but not all, citizens.

In State v. Jason Talley, Jason and I roused a few rabbles of our own by arguing that certain judges within the New Hampshire Judicial Branch were a class of men that were being afforded special levels of protection from accountability.  If unsubstantiated these arguments could have landed Jason and I in jail through contempt proceedings. We weren’t tossed into a jail cell though… because these arguments and allegations were factual.

I made these arguments on Jason’s behalf and ultimately secured the case being dismissed.  As I mentioned above, a licensed attorney may have been reluctant to make such an argument out of fear of reprisal…  and Jason may have been unjustly been found guilty and had his liberty stripped from him.

The Right of Revolution, Part I, Article 10 of the New Hampshire Constitution, authorizes the reformation of government if certain conditions are met.  How better to peacefully reform the government than to practice law and challenge the system when it is acting contrary to the public interest?  If that constitutional amendment doesn’t allow the respectful and proper formulation of legal arguments for a consenting litigant then what possibly could it ever stand for?  Is it just words on paper that government authorities would rather just ignore than honor?

Well, I intend to find out.

To New Hampshire Attorney General John M. Formella: I do apologize to you as an individual human being (you’re probably a really decent guy) as for the headache I am going to bring you.  This was before your time and was absolutely not your fault.  But…  you’re the man in charge now.

Just look around on X or Facebook on any given day…  New Hampshire is going through a revolution.  I say we keep the revolution peaceful, lawful, and on paper in intellectual arguments filed in the court system…  and at the ballot box.

I encourage everyone to watch the following video to refresh your recollection of what happened nearly thirteen years ago.  A man named Ademo Freeman has his rights violated and as a result of that Jason Talley had his rights violated.  This was unacceptable then and remains unacceptable now.  The State of New Hampshire Judicial Branch has to swallow the reality they have created for themselves: they are above the law.

Violence isn’t the answer to injustice in the world.

Reasoned, respectful, and civil debate in the court system is.

Stay tuned for updates as the case is filed and progresses!

Please be kind to each other in the comment section.  You don’t have to be kind to me though, you can let me have it with both barrels if you feel so inclined.  The ironic part is, though you may attack me, I’m standing up for you and your right to challenge the system if accused of something unjust.

There are only 60 covered bridges left in the State of New Hampshire. I can’t say how many we used to have or what happened to them, but someone has proposed creating a loophole in the state’s existing prohibitions against video surveillance. Why? ”

Covered bridges are essential to [insert name of town(s)] history, identity, and sense of community.”

These landmarks attract tourists; if you don’t mind, it can benefit the local economy. But damage and vandalism result in significant costs, so I get why there would be some interest in using cameras to watch these precious things, and the proposed legislation to allow surveillance includes some restrictions.

Under Faulkner’s bill, such video monitoring could be used only to investigate damage to a covered bridge. All other unrelated footage would be erased after seven days. Faulkner said the legislation is “carefully crafted to respect privacy rights of those who drive through the bridge.”

On Feb. 2, an amended version of HB 1217 received unanimous bipartisan support from the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. As amended, the bill would also require the state to install signs 100 feet away from the covered bridges alerting drivers that they are subject to video surveillance – just as businesses are required to do.

The bill has broad support, coming out of committee with a unanimous recommendation to support it (Ougth to pass 18-0), and I doubt there is much that will stop it from getting to the governor and becoming law, but I have concerns. New Hampshire’s long-held commitment to prohibiting public surveillance has been eroding, and every piece of new legislation opens the door a bit wider. With a legislative wink and a tweak, almost everything can be labeled as “important to [insert name’s] history, identity, and sense of community.”

Well-intentioned, HB1217 will invite, if not new, clauses (exceptions, provisos, caveats) that expand the times and locations where surveillance is permitted and on increasingly broader terms.

I like Covered Bridges. There’s one less than two miles from where I type this. But I think I’d rather add a line item to the local budget for more insurance to repair or replace them than open the door further to a surveillance state we know cannot be trusted and a government that increasingly works harder to deny natural rights than to protect them.

We do, after all, as a state and a nation, have a history of protecting rights and some measure of privacy, and while spying on bridges sounds harmless or even necessary (they are just like traffic cameras, Steve – to which I also object, btw), abuse and mission creep are inevitable. Once you open the door, it is almost impossible to get it closed.

 

The post New Hampshire’s Covered Bridges and the Expanding Surveillance State appeared first on Granite Grok.

Maybe it’s me. Perhaps we have first to define great. From Joe Biden down to Sandy Cortez, the entire left tries their damndest to convince the country the economy is booming, and we ignorant people of the land don’t understand it.

Sidebar: I am watching Piers Morgan interview Jay Leno. Leno just said he likes Joe Biden, and the economy is doing well. That is easy to say, sitting in your garage surrounded by $500M worth of collectible automobiles. For those who watched Jay Leno, the economy is destroying their retirement dreams. Anyone who still works for a paycheck knows Joe Biden’s economy, Bidenomics, is stifling American families, businesses, and the core of our once great country. Most Americans cannot afford a good life for themselves or their families. The inability to give our children the lifestyle we enjoy is depressing.

The facts and data we are given each week and month tell a different story than the one the President and his staff tell daily. Not to overuse the word, but like the border, crime, and our status on the world stage, we are being gaslighted about the President’s performance. The polls show the effort to distort, and the President’s performance indicates the American public is watching the President, as we are told to do, and we do not like what we see. The latest composite poll shows only 39% of the country approve of the President, while 55.9% disapprove. The Vice President should not laugh at her numbers, which are 37.1%/51.7%. Those are not numbers to brag about or run for reelection on.

The latest Wholesale Inflation Report was released this week. The Labor Department said Friday that its producer price index, which measures inflation at the wholesale level before it reaches consumers, jumped 0.3% in January from the previous month. On an annual basis, prices remain up 0.9%. Those figures are higher than the 0.1% monthly gain and the 0.6% yearly figure predicted by Refinitiv economists. These numbers seem small, and you have to remember the cumulative impact of inflation on the prices we pay for goods and services.

The low numbers mean inflation is slowing, but prices remain high. Some examples of today’s prices versus three years ago are Overall +17.9%, Energy +32.3%, Electricity +27.8, Food +20.8%, and Shelter +19.4%. The more significant numbers support the pressure we all feel on our checkbooks. The Core Inflation number, which measures Food and Energy, is 2% for the last twelve months.

When the Fed met recently, they hinted at the possibility of a rate reduction in March. With these numbers, the economy has no confidence to justify a rollback in rates. The high prime rate will keep mortgage rates high, car loans will be too high for some to buy a new car in 2024, and credit card and loan rates will stay pat or increase. None of the stats in the last two paragraphs tell the story of a hot economy under Biden.

History tells us we will not see prices recede to 2021 levels should inflation be stopped. The higher prices we pay today are now the norm, the baseline. Our wages, SSA payments, or pensions have not come close to keeping up with the impacts of Bidenomics. So stop with the gaslighting. You have been a failure in every aspect of your job. You are officially the worst President in history. Jimmy Carter can rest easy. You have taken the baton from him and shown how your progressive, socialist policies could drive a country to the point of extinction. At some point, these Democrats who carry your water and tell us how good you are will need to save themselves. Then you, Jill, and Hunter will drink Keystone Light on a public beach in Rehoboth.

The post Joe, Please Stop Telling Us The Economy Is Great appeared first on Granite Grok.

A political canard runs rampant across our nation. The Billionaire Donor Class understands the fallacy of this canard and is financing Nikki’s (Name changers are like shape shifters. They cannot be trusted.) political ads “ad nauseam” to force “ whatever her name is” onto the Republican ticket.

The canard is that the Vice President does not matter. History shows us otherwise. Here is why!

Seventeen Vice-Presidents have become POTUS for one reason or another. On the Belknap County Republican Mount Washington cruise this summer I informed Vivek Ramaswamy of this lost historical fact. That means almost 40% of VPs have become POTUS.

We want to thank Charles Bradley for this Contribution – Please direct yours to Steve@GraniteGrok.com.
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Interestingly, the brilliant political minds in the early 20th century convinced President William McKinley, an Ohioan, to sideline the Governor of New York’s presidential aspirations by picking Teddy Roosevelt for VP. The assassination of McKinley launched the national political career of Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. TR dominated national politics for over two decades in the early 20th century. More recently, Harry Truman, Richard Nixon, LBJ, Gerald Ford and Biden, all held the office of Vice President. Additionally, several VPs were nominated, but defeated in the general election: Bob Dole and Al Gore spring to mind.

Another interesting historical footnote is that 7 or 8 POTUS’ have come from the great state of Ohio, a trove of electoral votes.

Hopefully, someone will let President Trump in on these historical tidbits. He may find them compelling. This forgotten history has enormous implications for the future of our Republic.

The post Night Cap: The Vice Presidency appeared first on Granite Grok.