Monday • December 4 • 2023
Vol.XV • No.XLIX
Manchester, N.H.
I’m not surprised that parents, students, and teachers are bringing more stories about violence, bullying, and behavior issues inside some of New Hampshire’s schools.
I wrote about the potential dangers based on some of the changes I’ve seen to the laws and initiatives that are currently in our schools. I have to wonder, will this escalate into something more dangerous.
I will say it again, look at the Multi-Tiered System of Support-Behavior, (MTSS-B) and the law (HB1588) referenced here.
Stacey Sliwerski Greenberg – March 11 at 4:36 PMWhat follows below comes from a parent in Manchester, but she is speaking for many other parents in districts like Manchester, Nashua, and Rochester. Stacey posted this on a Manchester Facebook page. I asked her permission to post it here, and she agreed.
I am including comments that were added to her post on Facebook. That way you can read some of the comments that were added to her post. Please keep oftentimes the teachers are just as frustrated as these parents……
Just a little edit to add a fun fact. All these schools have social media accounts run by the kids who post all the shit they record of fights at school and on the bus as well as them acting up in class for views and likes.
So I am going to post something that I will be posting on multiple pages. Yes, I will also be emailing and or call the school Principal. However, I wanted to reach out to other parents who are tired of hearing or reading about things going on in these schools, before, during, and after as well as on the buses to and from the school.
Some of what I am about to discuss comes from multiple Facebook pages, from my daughter, and from other sources I feel the need to keep private.
The last week people have posted about their kids being bullied on the bus while another was occurring at school. The parents were frustrated at the lack of action on these incidents and I’m sure no one can blame them. Yes bullying has always gone on and will continue as we let it.
I believe in the chain of command approach, for me this is: Police if there is ANY type of assault if not then: The Principal
The Principal and the Parents of the offending children.
School Board
Alderman
Mayor
If all fails Lawyer and News Media
Not sure what happened to the Zero Tolerance for Bullying but it definitely does mean much or what I thought it meant.
Discipline seems to be detention or maybe internal suspension which seems lacking.
Today I heard a few things about Southside and I am sure this is not just occurring there. But it affects my daughter so I am bullshit more than usual at this crap.
My daughter let me know that her Resource Teacher had reached her breaking point and said she was quitting. She had to deal with 4 girls in her class that were unruly and rude. She was also assaulted by a student and hurt recently.
Teachers we desperately need for our children are quitting because these assholes cannot act in a civilized manner. They come to school, have no interest in learning and deprive those students who do want to learn. You may have a right to a free public education from Kindergarten to 12th grade but if you abuse it you should lose it.
I have heard that a few key staff members are leaving Southside to go on to other schools outside this district, can’t blame them.
I have also been told that a male student sexually assaulted another student. He was given internal suspension – WTF!!! And in the end did not even serve that. Probably no staff to watch over him. He was heard bragging to friends that he got away with it and nothing was going to be done.
These kids will continue to pull this crap if they know discipline and proper consequences continue to be non existent.
I pray my daughter’s teacher changes her mind. I pray these kids get severe punishment. We have to take back these schools for the kids that want to learn and deserve to learn in a peaceful environment.
===================================================================================
Mary…
I’ve been there with my kid at hillside and central. These kids have no consequences for their actions at these schools, the teachers/staff either don’t want or don’t know how to deal with it it’s a vicious cycle. Some of these kids are animals.
Adam…
Thank you for writing this. Hard to blame staff when they do such things as ask kids to stop swearing, go to class, please keep quiet, get off your phone, pick up your trash, or why are you late and they yell and swear at you because you asked them to do something. Then when a consequence is given a parent/guardian calls and complains about the consequence. As far as fights I am one for kids defending themselves. I tell kids and parents there might be a consequence but as a parent I would accept that.
Natasha…
I just had to call parkside yesterday because my daughter was assaulted by and boy and a girl ripping her hair and trying to steal her earrings, her words were im gonna look into it! And that she should stay close to friends and teachers so it doesn’t happen again! That’s all im gonna state ! #youhavethewrongmother#manchesterschoolssuck
Nicole…
It’s horrible. Every day I hear a story from my daughter about kids being disrespectful and rude to staff and being mean and bullying other kids. I wish my 5th grader was able to stay at her elementary school one more Year. She said it’s so stressful with the amount of fights, drama and bullying and some kids are so cruel to teachers! Sometimes she doesn’t even feel safe in her classroom. I feel so bad for teachers that are trying to teach kids that actually want to learn but have to discipline unruly kids half the time.
These are serious problems that warrant the attention of all of us. I hope that those working, and serving in this district will start looking at what is going on and start administering consequences when necessary.
The post The Danger Inside the Manchester Schools appeared first on Granite Grok.
Well, America how do we like Socialism, Biden style? From my vantage point, it’s a complete disaster from beginning to end although the end is not in sight yet.
It may yet end with a rash of mushroom clouds if our bumbling erstwhile “President” keeps making his mind-numbing record bad decisions. Sure hope not but he can’t really help himself it’s in his genes.
Let’s remember this was the candidate who promised to bring America together then proceeded to immediately, once sworn in, double down on the Left’s hate campaign against republicans, conservatives, Christians, and any who questioned and or disagreed with any of his illegal mandates or policy.
Every decision, every policy change or action he has made has been disaster after disaster resulting in a massive increase in every category of crimes, huge inflation costs, shortages, overdose drug deaths.
Have I missed anything? Oh right, invasion, war, and crimes against humanity by Putin in Ukraine. Yes, he did set all the right conditions to embolden not only Putin but every despot in the world. Meanwhile, he is off groveling to those same desports begging for more oil.
That last brings up the question of what is the difference if we increase oil production here domestically or have other countries increase production? Oil is oil, is it not? Oh I know, that might upset environmentalists who have this fetish believing if only we here in America go completely green all the rest of the world will follow. Fat chance! Putin is never going to go green nor is China, India, or any “developing nation.” And we can’t!
Where are all those solar panels and wind turbines coming from I again remind you?
Progressives (complete misnomers) dream big, delude themselves, closing their minds to human nature that is first and foremost – self-interest, and self-survival.
Life is not any Hollywood movie or idealistic TV series like Star Trek. It’s hard and unforgiving, especially for nations that can’t see it for what it is.
It’s getting very dangerous out there folks.
The post Nothing Good Coming appeared first on Granite Grok.
Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a young man of 44 years. Zelenskyy is not a big man at only 5’7″. The President of Ukraine is not a lifelong politician. Volodymyr Zelenskyy is a giant of a man and a true leader of his proud country and people.
He is in the right place at the right time in history.
Zelenskyy addressed the Congress of the United States today via Zoom. He had a similar message for them that he delivered to Canada and England’s Parliaments in the last couple of weeks. He told them clearly that if they want to be leaders of their country, it is not enough to talk about peace.
He challenged Joe Biden:
“It is not enough to be the leader of your country. You must be the leader of the world. Being the leader of the world means being the leader of the world for peace.”
The onus is now on Biden. Will he rise to the moment and gather the countries of the free world to do whatever is needed to end these atrocities being inflicted on Ukraine by Vladimir Putin? Will he be able to find the intestinal fortitude to act in a timely matter? The Ukrainian people need help today. This conflict is not going to wait while politicians debate and cower to the mystique of Putin. The free world has to be assertive and dictate terms to Putin, not be submissive to his threats.
Zelenskyy was an actor and comedian before taking office as Ukraine’s President. The closest he came to being a politician was playing the President on Ukrainian TV. He studied his lines well and uses them now to save his country. He is winning the hearts and minds of the free world as he has with his people. The world says they stand with Ukraine. It is now time to get off their butts and actually stand with Ukraine. Talk is easy. The action takes work. Can the world do the work to save this sovereign country from the Russian invasion?
Biden announced today he would be going to Europe for meetings next Thursday. That is eight days away. Ukraine does not have eight days. They need swift, immediate action now. Their country is being destroyed, their people harmed or killed, and millions have left not knowing if they will ever return. Their President is asking for help. He is not asking for others to fight for Ukraine. He does not need fighters. He needs weapons, food, and water to arm and feed his people.
Nancy and Chuck love to be seen standing and clapping like reliving their days at a Donny Osmond concert, but this is serious business. Stop the partisanship and do the right thing for Ukraine and the world. Your days are numbered in your positions of power. Use that time for the good and not your best interest. Some women who had fled Ukraine to safety are returning to fight with their brothers, husbands, and sons. Channel some of their courage and do what is needed to end this carnage. Do it today.
Ray Writes for GraniteGrok.com and the Liberty Loft
The post Zelenskyy Takes Our Leaders to School appeared first on Granite Grok.
Back in December, we wrote about Attorney Robert Fojo’s law license and how it seemed coincidental that the only lawyer in New Hampshire challenging COVID-related measures, like school district mask mandates, had his license suspended.
Fojo has been making waves and pushing buttons. It is not uncommon for people marked as troublemakers to find themselves the object of scrutiny from any number of government agents looking for anything to slow them down or derail them.
Since then, we’ve been following along and reviewing the public filings. It looks like the NH Attorney Discipline Office (ADO) may be using Fojo’s disruptive work in COVID cases as an excuse to cancel him.
In the BeginningThe ADO first contacted Fojo in late June after a client filed a grievance. In response, Fojo acknowledged that his record-keeping got the best of him, admitted the mistake, then provided the documents and information requested along with a request for assistance and guidance to prevent this mistake from happening again.
The records show that Fojo responded to all of the ADO’s inquiries in subsequent months, met with them twice, and prepared a spreadsheet to reconcile his trust account.
For some reason, during these meetings, the ADO repeatedly asked about his mask mandate cases and the parents he was representing in those cases.
After six months of “investigation,” on Friday, December 17, 2021, at 5:24 p.m. (the week before Christmas), the ADO petitioned the New Hampshire Supreme Court to immediately suspend Fojo’s license.
As I understand it a petition for immediate suspension is used for “emergency” situations or when an attorney poses “serious harm to the public,” but the facts on December 17 were no different than they were in late June. Facts the ADO had in September. Why wait three months to declare an emergency?
No opportunity was provided to protest the petition prior to suspension but the ADO did allow 20 days after issue to respond, request a hearing before a professional conduct committee, and then 30 days to prepare for that hearing.
Four days later, the Supreme Court ignored the ADO, violated Fojo’s due process rights, and temporarily suspended Fojo’s license without a hearing.
It should be emphasized this was a temporary suspension. It is not – as many media outlets reported (see also, lied) – a final suspension. He still had the option to proceed to a trial and prevail, at which point the suspension would be lifted.
How, What, WhyThe ADO’s December 17 petition includes a number of false statements. That Fojo had misappropriated tens of thousands of dollars from two other clients. That he lied to the ADO about efforts to close out a medical lien with a state agency for the client who filed the grievance against him. Or that he failed to cooperate with the ADO.
The ADO labeled the spreadsheet it “induced” Fojo to prepare as an official “disbursement journal” for his trust account, intentionally misconstrued certain errors Fojo made in reconciling the account (he’s not a CPA), and accused him of lying about those mistakes.
An immediate hearing was requested to contest the Court’s December 21 suspension and the Supreme Court scheduled a hearing for January 4, 2022, at which more interesting things were discovered.
Fojo’s attorney explained that the case law shows attorneys who make mistakes with their trust accounting usually merit “reprimands” not suspension so, the suspension of a law license without notice or hearing does not fit the alleged wrong.
Despite that fact, the ADO argued Fojo should, at a minimum, be suspended for several years and preferably outright disbarred. (Disbarment is like the death penalty for attorneys; unlike a suspension, where an attorney can petition for reinstatement, disbarment forbids you from practicing law again.)
We also learned that three days before Christmas, the ADO sent letters to Fojo’s bank directing it to freeze not only his trust account but his operating account as well even though the Court’s order did not prohibit Fojo from using his operating account.
Nevertheless, the account was frozen (and he could not withdraw money from it or pay operating expenses for his law firm) during the Christmas holiday.
In the next update, I’ll explain what else occurred at the January 4 hearing, and then we will bring you up to speed on where things stand today.
The post New Hampshire Tries to Cancel the Only Lawyer That Challenged COVID Policy appeared first on Granite Grok.
This might be a first, at least for us. We have a report from a voter at a local election in Pelham, New Hampshire. A week ago Tuesday, he showed up to vote, was handed his ballots, and one of them was already filled out.
I can’t begin to express how completely bizarre this is. There is no reasonable explanation for how completed ballots run through the dreaded machine would have ended up on the other side of the room with the ‘Blank’ ballots for folks who have yet to vote.
None.
No excuse. Sorry, apparently, there is an excuse. Further down the thread, we got this from someone who was (I am guessing) working the polling station.
Not immediately. We have no idea how many were handed out (without anyone noticing they were complete?) before the issue was corrected.
There are, by the way, 57 pdf pages of comments on this from the “Pelham NH really uncensored Facebook group.” I did censor these two out of habit, but you are welcome to scroll through them all here. Reminder – 57 pages.
There is a lot of back and forth, but at the end of the day, the question is this.
All ballots need to be secured whether completed or not. But how – just 16 months after a tumultuous election with significant voter concern over the chain of custody (and a herd of other suspicious actions and behaviors) does the Town of Pelham screw this up, like this, during what was another contentious election season, especially over School Board positions.
I can tell you that the NH AG and SOS will NOT find anything that was out of order. Maybe an oversight.
It is an oversight by local media. I do not see any stories about this despite the whirlwind occurring in this Facebook Group.
We know it happened.
So, what’s next?
You might want to reach out to the secretary of state, and take notes.
The post Pelham NH Poll Worker Hands School Ballot to Voter that is Already Filled Out! appeared first on Granite Grok.
It may be troubling why you always feel tired every morning despite feeling that you’re getting an adequate amount of sleep. Perhaps your body is always achy and sore whenever you wake up too. Fortunately, these symptoms don’t point to any health concerns, but it may be a sign that you need to replace your sleep accessories, particularly your pillows. Indeed, in addition to having a good-quality mattress, sleeping on the right pillow can spell the difference between a good night’s sleep and a fitful one.
But before elaborating on why pillows are more than just an ordinary sleeping accessory, it’s crucial that you first know the importance of a good night’s rest.
Benefits of having good-quality sleepHealth experts advise everyone to sleep for 8 hours every day, which is around 2,980 hours annually. With these numbers, sleeping constitutes around a third of your life. This amount of time isn’t for anything, though. This is because good-quality sleep won’t only help you feel energized in the morning, but it can also contribute to the following:
To cope with the sluggish feeling, you may eat more than necessary, and eating more translates to weight gain. Additionally, lack of sleep may also result in hormonal imbalance, particularly affecting the hormones that control your hunger. (1)
Importance of pillowsNow that you know you spend one-third of your life sleeping, this fact also means you spend a third of your life with your head on a pillow. Now more than ever that you must know the benefits you can gain if you have a proper sleep and understand how the right pillow can affect your sleep quality.
Keep in mnid that an ordinary pillow won’t only be a waste of money for you, but it may also lead to bad sleep. Hence, experts advise investing in great American made sleeping pillows or from any other leading quality brands. Besides, investing in the right pillow will drastically improve your sleep quality by at least 30%, allowing you to harness the benefits of having a good night’s rest.
In addition to being a key factor in your sleep quality, here are more reasons why pillows are more than a trendy sleep accessory:
Perhaps one main reason having the right pillow is recommended is because it’ll promote proper spine health. This is especially important if you have any spinal problems or disorders. Other than applying healthy sleeping habits, always make sure that you have a pillow that can support your neck, back, and spine. Failure to do so may only worsen any pain you’re feeling.
Now, choosing the right pillow that can provide support to your spine can be a little tricky, especially since people have different sleeping positions. Fortunately, companies have made it easier by labeling the pillow in relation to the most suitable sleeping position.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the different sleeping positions and the type of pillow that can offer the best support:
With all the talk about thick, flat, and high- and low-profile pillows, you may find yourself too confused already. Fortunately, this video will showcase the toughness and softness of every popular type of pillow, allowing you to make an informed decision:
Buckwheat Pillow Support Test – PineTales®
Other than a major contributor to your neck and spine’s health, did you know that the wrong pillow may worsen existing conditions? For instance, as explained above, if you have existing neck pain, sleeping on the improper pillow may accentuate it. If you have a headache, a lousy pillow will only exacerbate it. Also, if you have any discomfort while you’re sleeping—feeling too hot or too cold, snoring, coughing, and generally tossing and turning—the wrong pillow will only make it happen more often.
Furthermore, bad pillows will worsen any discomfort you’re already experiencing, but it can also trigger any allergies you have. This is because pillows will collect microscopic things, including dust mites, skin cells, fungus, mold, etc., all of which can cause any allergies. (4)
As a solution, it’s best to resort to pillows with organic fillings, like buckwheat hulls. Since a buckwheat hulls pillow is organic, you can rest assured that there are no chemicals present, which prevents any allergies from acting up. Additionally, you can customize the number of buckwheat hulls in your pillowcase, giving you the freedom to adjust the firmness of the pillow and giving you comfort all throughout the night.
A report states that the ideal temperature is around 60 to 67 degrees Fahrenheit. For your room to achieve this temperature, it’s not enough to solely rely on your AC, especially since it can be costly. Fortunately, there are now many cooling sleep accessories available in the market nowadays, like cooling mattresses and blankets. But the best budget-friendly option, especially if you constantly experience night sweats, is a cooling pillow. (5)
A cool bedroom paired with a cooling pillow will automatically lower the temperature around your neck, head, and shoulders. This way, you won’t only fall asleep faster, but you’ll also experience a night of deep and restful sleep as you’ll no longer experience restlessness due to sweating.
A cooling pillow is classified into three categories: breathable, pillows with a phase-changing cover, and gel memory foam pillows. But essentially, if a pillow is considered cooling, it means that it can easily wick away any moisture, increase airflow, and dissipate heat. All these properties allow you to experience the ideal room temperature.
Your skincare routine will be in vain if you neglect your pillowcase. Even if you have a strict regimen to take care of your face, once you sleep with the same pillow, the buildup of dirt and oil may come in contact with your skin, allowing these acne-causing agents to return to your skin. With that said, if you want to achieve clear skin, consider changing your pillowcases frequently.
Here are some acne-relieving tips that are related to your pillows:
Now that you know the importance of the right pillow, the next thing you should keep in mind is to know how to choose the right one for you. To help you out, here are some tips when choosing a pillow that’ll suit your needs and preferences:
As already hinted above, what your pillow is made of or the filling will make a big difference in your experience, especially if you’re sensitive to certain chemicals or materials. For instance, if you don’t like the feel of feathers, some of which are hypoallergenic, consider other alternatives. In this case, you can opt for a polyurethane or polyester fiber pillow, both of which won’t irritate sensitive sleepers. Another option you can choose is buckwheat hull and memory foam.
To get a feel of every filling, head to the nearest store. Make sure to take note of how soft, lumpy, firm, or solid the filling feels.
Most people are already fine with a standard-sized pillow. But if you prefer a much larger pillow, that’s fine as long as your spine is aligned while you’re sleeping. Also, when going for a larger pillow, ensure that the pillowcase and pillow cover will fit properly. Stuffing a big pillow into an undersized cover or using an extra-large pillowcase on a standard-size pillow isn’t only aesthetically unappealing, but it can also lead to discomfort.
In order to fully support your head and neck, there are some pillows that are made in special shapes. For instance, cervical and contour pillows are made to remedy any back and neck pain, while contoured body pillows are designed to relieve any pressure points on your body.
When to replace your pillowsExperts recommend replacing your pillow every one year and six months or so. This is because your pillows will accumulate mold, dust mites, and dead skin cells over time. But a good quality pillow may last longer. (7)
To make sure that your pillows will last longer, invest in some pillow protectors. You can also perform a pillow test to know if it’s time to change your pillows. You can do so by folding it in half. If it springs back to flat, then it’s still in good condition. If not, replace your pillows as they may no longer have the fluff needed to support your head, neck, and shoulders. (7)
TakeawayAs you can see, pillows are more than just a trendy sleeping accessory. Not only can they be a major factor in your sleep quality, but it can also impact your spine health. Also, continually using the wrong pillow can only worsen any sleeping discomfort you’re already struggling with. Not to mention that a worn-out pillow may contribute to your acne, affecting any skincare routine you’re following.
So the next time you shop for a new furniture set for your bedroom, assess the status of your pillow too. Make sure that you only go for quality ones, as pillows should be considered as an investment. If you’re wondering whether it’s time to replace your pillows, do the pillow test. If it doesn’t spring back to flat, then visit your nearest pillow store so you can harness the benefits of what a good pillow can bring.
References
The post Why Pillows Are More Than Trendy Sleep Accessories appeared first on Granite Grok.
The data against the Safe and Effective narrative was significant before the FDA and Pfizer started dumping docs. It’s gone off a cliff since. And thanks to Steve Kirsch (again), it’s taking body blows on the way down.
Using only Pulmonary Embolism as the symptom or side effect after vaccination, Kirsh pulled VAERS data from January 2015 to December 2019 for all vaccines. There were 13 reported cases from all age groups over five years.
Thirteen!
The exact search for the COVID19 vaccine in January 2021 procured 256 results. At the end of February, it was up to 685. That’s just one of the 1290+ side effects documented by Pfizer.
In other words, the vaccine safety system the CDC swears by, VAERS, was telling them these vaccines were not safe. Not only did they do nothing, but they also lied.
Politicians lied, public health officials lied, the media continues to lie, as do sites like Healthy603coalistion.org.
That’s the self-proclaimed myth-busting website funded by a long list of stakeholders cashing in on COVID that I wrote about in January.
The FDA/Pfizer doc dumps have been going on since November. The most recent, from just a few weeks back, killed the safe and effective narrative. It’s dead. Pfizer’s own clinical data shows that.
But if you go to Healthy603coalision.org right now you’ll find this.
Studies have not shown? Studies have shown that there is significant data that refutes any “studies” pretending what is impossible based on Pfizer’s own clinical data. Need examples? Data From 145 Countries Show The Jab Increased Cases and Deaths.
Or how about this? “Millennial age group, 25 to 44 experienced an 84% increase in excess mortality.”
New Report: Jab Induced Heart Complications Six Times More Dangerous to Teens Than COVID19
CDC Reports Heart Inflammation in “Some” Children After Receiving The Jab
There are scores of them.
And what happened to Comirnaty? The legally distinct “approved” formula no one ever saw or could ever get launched as a stunt so more people would line up for the ”experimental vaccine that is neither safe nor effective? I do not see any myth vs. fact examples of that little scam.
Fraud is a felony which is why everyone got immunity first. It’s why the vaccine could never be approved, and no approved version could ever be available.
To date, there have been early 3000 reported incidents of pulmonary Embolism in recipients of the COVID19 vaccines. Reported. Blood clotting has turned up in vaccinated people in significant numbers after death, so we know that many cases go unreported.
The numbers are mind-boggling.
It’s a significant risk that anyone interested in health should be concerned, and some are. D-Dimer tests are up significantly. These test the blood for signs of clotting.
I don’t think anyone is getting reimbursed for doing them the way hospitals got cash for positive covid tests or adhering to the death by hospital treatment protocol.
I’d be surprised if the Medical Industrial Complex didn’t at some point decide they are an unnecessary test and apply pressure to stop doing so many.
Wait and see, I guess.
Steve Kirsch and Pathologist Ryan Cole on COVID19 Vaccines and clotting
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The post Another Blow to the Narrative – CDC Knew in Jan 2021 The Jab™ was Unsafe appeared first on Granite Grok.
From time to time, we will offer single-day discounts on random items in the GrokStore. And yes, I know it’s St. Patricks Day, and we already have a holiday-appropriate Custom Pint Glass if that’s your thing. But we have another favorite I wanted to feature.
You can save 10% today and tomorrow on The Live Free or Die Tee with Gen. Stark’s Famous quote, and a little Grok branding to boot.
This Graphic is also available on a Mug (Trigger warning, the Mug is still Made in China but printed in the US by an American Company).
You can also get that Live Free or Die Graphic on a Sticker.
We’ve been keeping all of the margins low, but a little lower is not a bad thing. And we still make a bit of money to help offset our operating expenses. So, I hope you’ll take a look and grab one or more for yourself or as gifts for friends or frenemies.
You can peruse all the current inventory here.
And thanks for your continued attention and support.
Note: We are working towards another GrokGear collaboration – coming soon!
The post GrokStore Featured Product 3-17-22 appeared first on Granite Grok.
Three weeks ago, the people of Ukraine were going about their everyday lives. They went to school, worked, shopped, worshipped, and played. They lived in an independent country caught in the middle. They are not Europeans. They are not Russians.
They are their own people, very proud people. Vladimir Putin unleashed his military might on a sovereign Ukraine in an unprovoked attempt to annex her and bring her back to the Motherland.
There is much talk of Putin, Biden, and Zelenskyy. There are visions of caravans of tanks and personnel carriers staged and ready to assault the major cities of Ukraine. We see the atrocities of bombs and missiles hitting hospitals, apartment complexes, and other civilian buildings, leaving dead and wounded in their wake. Many labeled Putin a war criminal for his actions, but they continued without retribution.
There have been nearly four million Ukrainians who have fled into Poland, Romania, and other Eastern European countries who have their arms open for these refugees. These women, children, aged, and infirmed are only 10% of the Ukrainians. Millions of those remaining are running out of food, water, and medicines. This conflict is becoming a humanitarian crisis as well as a street fight. One indisputable thing is the courage and fortitude of the Ukrainians, from Zelenskyy to the now orphan children. In the face of annihilation, they have stood and fought for their homes and families
Men from 18 to 60 were not allowed to leave. They were considered to be of fighting age. So we saw families saying goodbye, not knowing if they would ever be united. The women, sometimes with young children, board trains to head for safety while their men hug, kiss, wave, then walk to the town hall to get their weapon from the government. There is a trained military and a civilian militia. Together they have proven to be a formidable force against a superior Russian army.
There is thinking that if the Ukrainians can hold off the Russians for two weeks, Putin’s Army will be cut off from their supply line. Like the Ukrainians they are attacking, they too will be out of food and water. The people of Ukraine will then have the advantage and could win this battle.
Some of our veterans, doctors, nurses, and people willing to do anything to help have traveled towards the danger to aid the underdog. Unfortunately, our President and Vice President have not shown the same courage. Biden has flip-flopped on the MiGs from Poland, and his VP has embarrassed herself again on the center stage. Her propensity to lump meaningless words together has become the meme of late-night comedy shows. She proves she is a minor leaguer trying to be relevant in The Show. She is failing, and I think we can expect the same from Biden next week. He will be heading to Poland, and sources say he has nothing new to offer. So why bother? To go for a photo-op will be a waste of everyone’s time and a show of weakness that America does not need or want.
It is anyone’s guess how this will end and what will be left of Ukraine. But one thing Ukraine will have is its pride. They didn’t run or hide but stood and fought. They have won the heart and soul of the world, as Biden has destroyed his legacy on the global stage. Ukraine has our prayers and our hope they will return and rebuild. Time will tell, and may God stay on their side.
The post We Cannot Lose Sight of the Ukrainian People appeared first on Granite Grok.
We learned that between 9 am and 10:00 pm (lunch and dinner break included) we were able to vote on around 71 House bills, and pass some really great things for the people of NH. House members truly earned their princely sum of $200 just with this grueling day alone.
We learned that a raft of bills put forth by House Democrats designed to dismantle or eliminate Education Freedom Accounts and School Choice (HB1669, HB1670, HB1672, HB1683) were summarily defeated by House Republicans.
Additionally, HB1434 relative to the availability of school curriculum materials to a parent, legal guardian, or resident of a public school district passed 185-152. This bill ensures that parents/taxpayers have access to what their children are being taught. NH Taxpayers will be able to do their own homework and see what they are paying for. Are you up for that assignment?
We learned that House Democrats fought what they deemed discrimination in HB1180, relative to state recognition of biological sex by tabling this bill (175-167), but they fought just as hard to support a bill that would repeal the law which protects people from certain discrimination in public workplaces and education (HB1576). That bill was killed via a table motion (186-158). So allowing people to say one race is superior to another is OK but allowing the State to affirm that there are biological males and females is not. Truly a head-scratcher.
We learned that House Democrats allowed CACR 15 to fail. The vote of 190-165 was not enough to garner the 3/5 vote to pass this bill which would have provided that only residents of our state may vote in elections. It would seem that if we want to fix our residency requirements then we have to vote more Republicans into our legislature since Democrats are unwilling to do this. Will you remember in November?
We learned that ranked-choice voting (HB1264) got tabled and the attempt to take it off the table was also defeated. Apparently, ranked-choice voting was not a choice for the NH House.
We learned that House Republicans passed several bills reforming occupational licensing in New Hampshire. The passage of HB1171 (exempting certain niche beauty services from licensure requirements), HB1330 (relative to the board of registration of medical technicians.) and HB1560 (relative to nonresident licensure by the board of barbering, cosmetology, and esthetics) help to empower more people to enter the workforce and reduce costs for consumers. We gave regulations a trim and a shave all in one sitting!
We learned that with the passage of HB1297 (197-143) one can now take lobsters while recreationally scuba diving. Additionally, the gray squirrel can now be added to the list of other squirrels, groundhogs, and other rodents considered “pest animals”, which have year-round open season with the passage of HB1356 (via voice vote).
All those folks who worry that it will decimate the squirrel population probably have forgotten the hundreds of dead squirrels which lined our NH highways a few years ago during “squirrel-mageddon” that hadn’t put a dent in their numbers. Passing both of those bills gives a whole new meaning to the term “surf and turf”.
We learned that the Health and Human Services Committee worked hard to produce some great bills for the House to vote on. We passed HB1022 permitting pharmacists to dispense the drug ivermectin via standing order (183-159).
We passed HB1044, legislation that would allow facilities that exclusively take direct payments from patients to be licensed by the state.
We passed HB1080 (175-165) relative to the rights of conscience for medical professionals.
We passed HB1439 (voice vote) the “No Patient left Alone Act” – so people won’t have family members kept from them in a healthcare facility and left to die alone.
We passed HB1455 (174-159) which prohibits the enforcement of any federal law, order, or rule that mandates the COVID-19 vaccine or testing more than once a month for employment, thereby putting an end to federal vaccine mandates in NH.
We passed HB1495 (179-153) which seeks to prohibit the state from requiring businesses to require vaccines or vaccine documentation or immunity status. All in all, we got a healthy dose of medical freedom today.
Despite House Democrats’ attempt to gut the fetal protection act, it will remain in statute with the passage of HB1673 and the amendment which clarifies the ultrasound provision (passed on voice vote).
We also passed HB1625 (168-162) the repeal of the “buffer zone law” for health care facilities and reinstituted 1st amendment rights. It was a good day for babies.
Finally, we learned that there are around 74 House bills left on the regular calendar, plus bills taken off the consent calendar to deal with tomorrow. So Thursday will be another marathon day. Let’s see what great things House Republicans will pass for NH citizens on the 3rd day of the House session this week!
The post So Kids, What Did We Learn From Wednesday’s House Session (03/16/22)? appeared first on Granite Grok.
Joe Biden’s “The Souther Door is Always Open” policy has attracted millions, not just from points south. Anyone can take a trip to Mexico and find their way into the US. The oppressed, refugees, drug Mules, sex traffickers, terrorists, spies, and Ukrainians.
And Russians!
Unmasked, unvaccinated, un-everything is the policy.
If you happen to be brown, the US government will air-lift you somewhere white and leave you to fend for yourself. Yes, there are billions of dollars annually (is it trillions, now?) funneled to so-called non-profit aid agencies, but they don’t do a lot other than taking our money and calling anyone who objects a xenophobe.
Keeps the pockets full. And that was the way under Obama, so Biden – probably no difference.
As for Ukraine, there’s the war they’ve got, so millions have fled the nation. Some have relocated to Poland or Romania, wherever they could, and others to Mexico, from where they are heading north into America.
A growing number of Russians and Ukrainians are traveling to Mexico, buying throwaway cars and driving across the border into the United States to seek asylum, a trend that could accelerate as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has forced more than a million people to flee their homes. ..
U.S. border officials encountered about 6,400 Russians in the four months between October 2021 and January of this year, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data show. That’s more than the roughly 4,100 apprehended during the entire 2021 fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30. The jump is similar for Ukrainians, with a little more than 1,000 apprehended since October 2021 through January, compared to about 680 for all of the last fiscal year.
Not astounding numbers and these are just apprehensions and folks who show up at a station to report their presence.
We don’t have numbers yet for “since the invasion started,” but I think we’ll see an uptick. Anyone who gets transportation to Mexico can buy “throwaway cars and driving across the border into the United States to seek asylum.”
So you are already helping. And, we may find that these “refugees” will be excited about the opportunity to pick a path and plow their own field, so to speak. They’ll learn English and integrate into the culture (without giving up their own) so that they too can be called racists by leftists who want to make America more like the place they just escaped.
And yes, there are certainly a few who are spies, but they’ll work for the Democrats to get easy access to intel and state secrets. It’s easier than stealing them from China.
The post You Want to Help Ukrainians? Actually, Thanks to Our Open Southern Border, You May Already Have! appeared first on Granite Grok.
To my constituents in Allenstown, Epsom, & Pittsfield:
My committee met this week to recommend all our remaining House bills. First, we heard HB 1256, which changed two positions in the department of veterans’ affairs from classified to unclassified, changed the job titles, and clarified their duties. One member of the committee disliked the way the bill was written and presented an amendment to polish the language. Since it didn’t change any meaning, and the department (and the state veterans council) supported it, we unanimously agreed to pass the bill with the amendment.
HB 1171, exempting specific beauty treatments from licensure, was as divisive as I expected. The subcommittee presented an amendment that deleted some of the consumer protection language, which the attorney general had testified was unlike any other deceptive practices statutes in the state. The debate in committee revolved around “chemicals,” specifically the adhesives used for eyelash extensions and hair extensions. So we voted on party lines to adopt the amendment, and then to recommend the bill to pass (actually, one Democrat joined all the Republicans in favor of the amendment, and a different one voted in favor of the bill.)
We want to thank NH State Rep Carol McGuire for this Op-Ed. If you have an Op-Ed or LTE
you would like us to consider, please submit it to Editor@GraniteGrok.com.
We then debated HB 1061, making the midwives’ board advisory rather than regulatory. The subcommittee presented their amendment which more clearly specified what areas were administrative, and which were not, and after some debate the amendment passed, 18-1. Then we debated how much authority the director of the OPLC (office of professional licensure and certification) should have over the operation of the board, and considered that the board had failed to have a quorum two times last year, and the last meeting posted on its website was in November. We have received emails and letters opposed to the bill from midwives, their clients and friends, and the remain adamant that the 37 midwives in the state should regulate themselves. The motion to recommend the bill failed, 8-11, and we compromised on interim study, which neither passes nor kills the bill, but allows it to stay with the committee for further work.
HB 1330, on regulation of medical technicians, had an amendment to simply delete the requirement for registration. No other state requires it, and there is no danger to the public since technicians do not work independently – they are supervised by the hospitals and clinics that employ them. This was argued, with the opposition primarily repeating the incident of one technician at Exeter hospital who stole drugs, used them, and left tainted syringes to infect patients. At that time, various representatives and hospitals asked for this registration, with the goal of making New Hampshire less attractive to bad actors…but not wanting to sanction the hospital, which was found to have been lax in supervising this technician, nor his former employers, who had let him go without warning future employers. This amendment passed, 10-9, party line, and the bill was recommended to pass, also 10-9.
HB 1560, allowing reciprocity for barbers, cosmetologists and estheticians, was debated on the need to require “substantially equivalent” standards for the profession. Every state requires licensing of barbers and cosmetologists, and the question of having had 1000 hours training, instead of New Hampshire’s 1500 hours, becomes moot after a few years’ experience. This becomes a subjective criteria and allows the board to refuse to license new competitors, and also to require applicants to provide increasingly minor data, Your State House Page 1 of 6 March 11, 2022 instead of a license in good standing from another state. This was recommended to pass, 12-7, with two Democrats joining all Republicans in favor.
HB 1173, declaring August 9 as Indigenous Peoples’ Day, was debated between three opposing positions. One, of course, was the “no special days” group (including me, but I didn’t feel strongly about it) that wanted to kill the bill; representatives who wanted to pass the bill, hoping to recognize indigenous people without losing Columbus Day; and those opposed to the bill because they wanted the holiday to replace Columbus Day. So, a motion to pass failed, 8-11, then a motion to kill it passed, 14-5, completely bipartisan!
HB 1395, which required the full House to approve administrative rules, rather than a committee, was sent to interim study unanimously. I urged this because the bill has some major practical problems, but several other ideas for reforming the administrative rules process have been suggested. HB 1182, making the board of court reporters advisory, was recommended to pass unanimously, since the court reporters had no issues with it (unlike the midwives, say…)
HB 1192, regulation of acupuncturists, was amended to reflect a Senate bill on the same topic that everyone involved approved, plus a minor editorial change. It, too, was recommended unanimously. HB 1079, increasing the hours a retired person could work for a retirement system member without penalty, was unanimously recommended to be killed. The hours the bill proposed would allow a teacher to retire and then work full-time while still collecting their pension, and the elimination of the 28 day gap between retiring and working would fall afoul of IRS guidelines.
HB 1018, making the board of medical imaging and radiation therapy advisory rather than regulatory, had a subcommittee amendment that clarified where professional advice was needed, and where the OPLC should provide administrative support. That, and the bill as amended, passed unanimously.
HB 1135, requiring a performance audit of the education freedom account program, had an amendment to move the effective date out a year, to July 2023. We thought that auditing the program was a worthwhile idea, but this year was too soon: the final rules were just approved last month, quite different from the interim rules they started the year under, and there are about 20 bills under consideration that would change the program. Trying to audit a program under this condition would be a waste of time. We debated this, then failed to pass the amendment, 9-10 with one Republican joining the Democrats. We caucused, and convinced him that on a highly politicized issue like this one, we should be united. So, we reconsidered the vote, passed the amendment 10-9, and recommended the bill, also 10-9. I expect a floor debate on this one!
HB 1274, creating a committee to study the solid waste practices of state agencies, was unanimously recommended to be killed. No member of the committee wanted to serve on such a study committee! HB 1312, requiring restaurant grease traps be no larger than required by the plumbing code, went to interim study since we weren’t sure how the sewer regulations interfaced with the plumbing code, or who should be involved in resolving the problem. HB 1344, requiring a real estate broker to have a formal power of attorney to sell property, was recommended to pass. Some of us weren’t sure the bill was necessary, even though we agreed it should be the case, but the supporters Your State House Page 2 of 6 March 11, 2022 convinced us that it wouldn’t hurt.
HB 1510, a study committee on state hiring practices, was debated rather more intensely than I expected. Since all the people testifying in favor of the bill were on the Labor committee, it seemed to me that they could study the problem without forming a formal study committee. Still, we recommended killing the bill, 11-8, with one Democrat joining all the Republicans.
I presented several bills passed by my committee to the Senate on Wednesday. HB 1016, on speech language specialists, eliminates a duplicate credential and consolidates regulation of all speech-language professionals under the board. HB 1062, on the electrology advisory committee, eliminates the committee responsibility for running the practical exams, since professional organizations offer them, and HB 84 declares Ona Judge Staines Day. HB 457, allowing the legislative youth advisory committee hold remote meetings, and HB 1427, adding alternates and an audiologist to the speech-language board, were all received with no opposition. HB 84 had a minor amendment to clarify some language, then it, as amended, and all four others were voted ought to pass. A very productive morning!
Thursday, the House met in the chamber for the first time in two years. First we held a memorial for the Democrat leader, Renny Cushing, who died Monday. I worked with him on death penalty repeal and more intensely, on cannabis legalization, and respected him a great deal (even if we differed on most issues.)
HB 1011, increasing the penalty for criminal mischief, to increase the chance that restitution would be paid, passed on a voice vote without debate, and HB 1031, prohibiting law enforcement from encrypting their radio, was tabled without comment. HB 1151, prohibiting the display of a firearm at a parade, funeral, march, or rally, was debated and killed, 192-141. HB 1175, allowing the public to record public officials at work (without having to obtain their consent) was tabled on a voice vote. Later in the day, a supporter moved to take it from the table, which failed, 50-288. Apparently his offer to make a speech about it wasn’t an appealing prospect…
HB 1281, on firearms confiscated from someone with a protective order, went to interim study without comment. HB 1282, requiring a search warrant to get telephone records, was not tabled, 160-174, debated, and passed, 197-137. I supported it to protect people’s privacy. Opponents feared that it might delay child pornography investigations, but there was enough testimony about how easy and quick it is to get a warrant that I began to be concerned.
HB 1483, prohibiting the use of physical force by a law enforcement officer when a suspect was fleeing, was briefly debated and killed on a voice vote, since that is already against the law. HB 1636, allowing carrying a weapon while on a snowmobile or OHRV, was debated and passed, 204-134.
We had no debate on any of the bills from my committee. HB 1037, a minor clarification to the governor’s emergency powers, passed on a voice vote; HB 1059, prohibiting issuing a license to someone who obviously did not meet the qualifications just because the board didn’t meet for 60 days, passed 177-157. I tabled HB 1159, Victims of Communism Day, 281-55, because the speakers opposed to killing it were lining up behind the microphones. Later, I spoke with several of the supporters and told them how to Your State House Page 3 of 6 March 11, 2022 ask the governor for a proclamation and how to ask for a plaque in the state house.
HB 1257, requiring the retirement system to divest investments in China, was killed, 312-25, and HB 1460, repealing minimum age requirements for some professional licenses, was killed on a voice vote. HB 1299, creating a schedule of responses and an appeal process within the Fish & Game Commission, passed 183-155 without debate.
HB 1126, permitting 16 or 17 year olds get a vaccination without parental consent, was debated and killed, 184-151. The debate was muddled by reference to the Covid vaccines, but the intent was the HPV vaccination, which is most effective if given before starting sexual activity.
CACR, a constitutional amendment to eliminate references to the register of probate, was debated and passed, 294-43. When the courts reorganized to do most of their business on line, the registers of probate became redundant; nearly all the work they used to do is now in the clerks’ domain. HB 1013, allowing the rare disease advisory council to meet remotely, was killed without comment. HB 1021, prohibiting religious or prayer meetings being subject to different land use regulations than similar usages, passed without debate.
HB 1205, giving the department of environmental services access to enhanced 911 data so that they can map drinking water sampling, passed on a voice vote without debate. Without comment, and by voice votes, we killed HB 1216, repealing the housing appeal board; HB 1254, various changes to the housing appeals board; HB 1260, making vaccination status a protected class under our antidiscrimination laws; and HB 1408, requiring the refund of rental application fees.
CACR 14, a constitutional amendment to enshrine the right to join a union, was debated on its necessity and killed, 182-159. HB 1385, prohibiting the use of credit history in employment decisions, was killed on a voice vote. Even the supporters agreed that credit history is useful or necessary for some positions, and the ban would need so many exemptions that it didn’t make sense to pass the bill.
HB 1275, adding more city representatives to regional planning commissions, was killed without comment. HB 1387, allowing municipalities to adopt a homestead property tax exemption, was debated and killed, 309-31. This was a vague attempt to lower the cost of home ownership for lower income individuals, but these efforts result in shifting the tax burden to other residents.
HB 1456, adding veterans of Iraq and other recent military actions to those eligible for inclusion on the Hampton marine memorial, passed on a voice vote after a representative gave a speech.
CACR 32, declaring state independence, was not tabled, 162-170, as nearly all the Democrats voted against tabling. The debate was impassioned, on both sides, then we voted 323-13 to kill the amendment. For me, the convincing argument was that we had fought the civil war to prevent the south from seceding and this amendment was against New Hampshire’s strong support for the union. You’ll be able to read the arguments in the House journal, since we voted, 278-62, to print the entirety of the debate in the journal!
HB 1411, increasing the transparency of federal agency operations in New Hampshire, passed 204-134, without discussion.
HB 1138, allowing some cars to pay for a waiver Your State House Page 4 of 6 March 11, 2022 of the front license plate, was debated and killed, 226-114. I voted in favor of the bill as some cars don’t really have a place for a front plate, and a number of states don’t require one. We let them drive on our roads, sell commemorative front plates, and otherwise don’t take that requirement very seriously – but eliminating the need for front plates has been proposed multiple times, in many variations, but never passed.
We then dealt with Senate amendments to House bills. HB 50, state representative districts, was debated before we concurred with the amendment (which we had given to the Senate to deal with city wards that didn’t meet our assumptions), 172-163. HB 55, on delegates to state political party conventions, had simply fixed an omission in the House version and was agreed on a voice vote. HB 233, which had guaranteed any infant born alive appropriate medical care, had been converted by the Senate to a study committee on the topic, and we quickly voted to non-concur and kill the bill, as this doesn’t need study. For HB 440, prohibiting the suspension of civil liberties during a state of emergency, the Senate had simply deleted the purpose statement and left the actual law changes the same; we concurred on a voice vote.
Finally, we dealt with bills that had been pulled from the consent calendar of non-controversial recommendations (the usual case is that a committee wanted to kill a bill and a sponsor wants to argue that, or simply to make a speech.) HB 1436, allowing family court decisions be appealed to the superior courts, was tabled on a voice vote, as was HB 1651, adding sexual reassignment to the definition of child abuse. HB 1149, reducing the number of names required for a non-major party candidate to appear on the ballot, was debated and killed, 283-43; after that, HB 1197, lowering the threshold for a third party to gain general ballot access from 4% of the vote to 1%, was tabled without comment.
I moved to table HB 1443, Covid victims and survivors memorial day, and it was. HB 1124, requiring businesses to use the federal e-verify system to verify an applicant’s status to work in New Hampshire, was debated and killed on a voice vote. Using E-verify seems like a good idea, but unusual names have problems and corrections to the database are slow and problematic.
HB 1555, repealing the permit required for open fires at campgrounds, had been recommended for interim study, but the sponsor wanted to speak on it. The bill was tabled, 191-131, and the sponsor allegedly decided to pull every bill off consent next week in revenge. I hope he doesn’t; we have a great deal of work to do next week, and this is really childish.
HB 1509, repealing the FRM victims’ recovery fund, was tabled on a voice vote. I don’t really approve of the FRM fund, but having lost the vote last year, I agreed that trying to stop the process of handing out $10 million after we’d already taken applications was rude and insulting.
Friday, the representatives from Merrimack County met on the county budget – or at least, some of us met. RSA 91-A, the right to know law, requires a quorum be assembled in the noticed place and a vote of that quorum to allow remote participation, on an emergency basis. With 45 representatives in the county, a quorum is 23, and we had to call and drag in several Concord representatives to meet that! With 24 attending, we voted 20-4 to allow remote participation (I was opposed.) Two of the remote attendees were taking care of small children, one had local business that didn’t allow travel time, and one wouldn’t say what the Your State House Page 5 of 6 March 11, 2022 emergency was. I was proud of Representative Pearl, from Louden, who stated he didn’t meet the standards for remote access and left the meeting. Representatives Klose and Allard were both there, Representative Pitaro wasn’t.
We approved the new contract with corrections employees, allowed the sheriff’s department to increase their document service fees by 1% (in line with inflation as of June), and approved the county budget, all unanimously. The budget requires only the same amount of tax money as last year, so the tax rate shouldn’t change much, if at all (we can’t say for sure since that rate is set in the fall, based on property values across the county.)
Representative Carol McGuire
carol@mcguire4house.com
782-4918
The post NH State Rep Carol McGuire – Your State House 03/11/22: What a Busy Week! appeared first on Granite Grok.
An interesting item in the news on Monday: Amazon announced on Friday it is relocating its employees from downtown Seattle due to “rampant violence” (their words).
This affects 1800 employees they said.
Isn’t socialism wonderful? See how liberal tolerance works with criminals?
One Alexander Jay, a criminal with a long rap sheet was caught on video throwing a 62-year-old nurse down concrete stairs there in Seattle. You can watch it on video, a perfect example.
Funny how it’s honest working people who must be moved. Why should we be surprised, though, that every city run by liberal democrats seems to cater to criminals and not honest folks?
Cities like Seattle are strong anti-Second Amendment, but if criminal thugs started getting shot on a consistent basis (white, black or whatever) the s.o.b’s would think twice.
Yet, we saw what young Kyle Rittenhouse was put through by both corrupt leftist prosecutors and mainstream media. It’s the media I find the most to blame for not holding officials to account and have to wonder if they would be as tolerant and self-righteous if it was they being targeted?
The cities of New York and Washington DC are hunting a serial shooter who has been targeting homeless men. Homelessness is rampant breeding crime, drugs, you name it, and it’s those liberal strongholds where it’s the worst, just look at San Francisco.
Nancy Pelosi must be so proud?
But then again it’s her policies, isn’t it? See the left spends most of our tax money enriching big corporations, organizations, and rich people who “donate” to their campaigns. Planned Parenthood is a good example. Not only is it getting federal money, but it is also immune from charges of breaking federal laws it seems? On the other hand, the whistle-blowers go to jail.
Justice the socialist way.
How about Biden announcing a pledge to raise $3.3 trillion in new taxes by reinstating the “death tax” and raising Social Security? Only going to tax the rich, he said, remember? Not enough he has created huge inflation costing everyone more for everything, now he has to steal more from the poor and the middle class to fund his payoffs to big cooperate supporters, which is most of what the Left’s big spending bill amount to. Instead, that money would be far better spent helping those poor people on the streets or other real needs rather than into the pockets of rich elites. At what point do faithful Democrats finally say “enough”! and rejoin the civilized world?
Perhaps the news from Ukraine of Russia bombing a maternity hospital killing innocent mothers and babies will strike a chord of consciousness?
The post Crime appeared first on Granite Grok.
As COVID measures continue to disappear, many people are drawing comfort from the possibility that their lives may finally be returning to normal. While that may be true, we need to continue to take note of what we lost throughout this two-year ordeal and learn how to prevent our federal, state, and local governments from implementing these measures again in the future.
Many state and local governments took advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to make radical changes to our lives. When they made these changes, they often acted without transparency and without authority. New Hampshire presented numerous examples of this abuse of power in 2020 and 2021. A particularly glaring example of the lack of transparency in local governments occurred in the Bedford School District in September 2021.
In early September 2021, parents of children who attended Bedford Memorial School received an email from Principal Phil Schappler announcing that the school had identified an “outbreak” of COVID-19 (indicating there was “school transmission” of the virus) and, thus, would require, beginning the following day, universal masking for students for the next 14 days.
The school’s decision failed to follow the District’s Reopening Plan for 2021-2022, which dictated that an “outbreak” consisted of multiple instances of three or more confirmed COVID-19 cases in a classroom.
Mr. Schappler’s letter explained the school had identified just 11 cases at the time, but he failed to explain how those 11 cases constituted an “outbreak” under the District’s Reopening Plan. Rather, he conceded to several parents (which would later be confirmed) that the school did not have an “outbreak” or “school transmission” of any kind, and he further conceded the school had unilaterally – without holding a public meeting or providing notice of one – lowered the above threshold for identification of an “outbreak” (multiple instances of three or more confirmed cases in a classroom) to multiple instances of just two or more confirmed cases in a classroom.
Based on this arbitrary nonpublic decision, Memorial School officials then denied several children entry to school because they refused to wear masks and communicated they would continue to deny them entry for the ensuing 14 days unless and/or until they wore masks. To make matters worse, school officials failed to provide those children with an adequate substitute for educating them during that period of time.
Below is what happened in more detail, including an explanation of the New Hampshire Right-to-Know Law (the state’s public records law) and how and why the Bedford School District violated it.
The New Hampshire Right-to-Know LawRSA 91-A requires all meetings of public bodies to have proper notice and be open to the public, and minutes must be kept for such meetings.
RSA 91-A:1-a, VI(d) defines a “public body” as “[a]ny legislative body, governing body, board, commission, committee, agency, or authority of any county, town, municipal corporation, school district, school administrative unit, chartered public school, or other political subdivision, or any committee, subcommittee, or subordinate body thereof, or advisory committee thereto.” A non-public session under RSA 91-A:3 may be held only in certain discreet circumstances.
Accordingly, the Right-to-Know Law applies to school districts and school boards.
Bedford School District’s 2020-2021 Reopening PlanThe District’s School Board approved a Reopening Plan on August 16, 2021, for the 2021-2022 school year. Under that Plan, masks were “[r]ecommended but not required for students ages 11 and under,” and the District “return[ed] to pre-covid operations” (i.e., masks were not required or recommended) for grades 7-12. Remote learning would be “only available to students as a result of an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or as a result of reasonable accommodations through a Section 504 Plan.”
The District adopted certain “mitigation measures,” however, to address any positive cases or outbreaks of COVID-19:
These measures stated that “[a]n individual who tests positive for COVID-19 will be required to isolate,” and “[i]dentified close contacts will be required to utilize the self-observation guide.” “Identified clusters and outbreaks,” however, “may require up to 14-day masking in classrooms/schools respectively.”
In the above document, the phrase “14-day masking” linked to a separate “Targeted Masking Plan,” which appeared to be a matrix for determining when/when not to require masking:
According to the Plan above (which relied on CDC guidance), an “outbreak” was defined as “multiple clusters within a school setting,” and referenced the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (“DHHS”). If a Bedford school determined it had an “outbreak,” it had to “[i]nitiate mask wearing for up to 14 days in the school” (the entire school, not just any one classroom) and “[m]aintain quarantine protocol.”
At the time, DHHS defined a “cluster” as “3 or more individuals confirmed with COVID-19 who are part of a related group of individuals (e.g., classroom) who had the potential to transmit infection to each other through close contact”:
“Two or more unrelated clusters in the school with onset (based on source case symptom onset dates) within 14 days of each other” indicated there was “[t]ransmission within the school facility.”
Accordingly, under these guidelines and the District’s Reopening Plan, for a Bedford school to initiate universal mask-wearing for up to 14 days, it had to determine there were multiple instances of “3 or more individuals confirmed with COVID-19” in a “related group,” usually a classroom.
The District’s Non-Public Revision of its Reopening Plan for Memorial Elementary SchoolOn Sunday, September 5, 2021, parents of children who attended Bedford Memorial School received the following letter by email from Principal Phil Schappler:
Mr. Schappler’s letter identified the school was “made aware” of “11 cases to date” of COVID-19. He labeled these cases “multiple clusters, which constitute school transmission and an outbreak of Covid-19” that “require[s] universal masking for up to 14 days.” The letter failed to explain whether the school actually identified multiple instances of “3 or more individuals confirmed with COVID-19” in a “related group” or a classroom.
The following morning, several parents brought their children to Memorial School without masks, and school officials, including Mr. Schappler, denied them entry and failed to provide any reasonable accommodations for the school’s abject refusal to admit the children. Memorial intended to continue denying those children entry to the school for the next 14 days unless and/or until they wore masks.
Some of the parents requested further information from Mr. Schappler concerning the school’s alleged “outbreak.” Mr. Schappler conceded they did not have “school transmission” of COVID-19, and they had not identified multiple clusters of confirmed cases in any one classroom. Rather, he explained the school unilaterally modified the matrix above whereby, instead of basing its identification of a “cluster” on “3 or more individuals confirmed with COVID-19” in a “related group,” it lowered the threshold for identifying a “cluster” to just two individuals in a “related group” or classroom.
The District had not had a school board meeting (or provided notice of one) at which it voted on and approved this change to its Reopening Plan, and there was no indication it held any public meeting to effectuate that change.
Rather, Mr. Schappler and the District ignored the Reopening Plan and had taken direction from DHHS: in a September 9 email, the District confirmed it was relying on the recommendation of a DHHS official that just “one classroom with 3 cases . . . is considered an outbreak.”
The District’s Targeting Masking Plan obviously did not set forth that definition. Indeed, that same email above confirmed the cases at Memorial were “9 isolated cases” “that are not related to each other,” and thus did not meet the definition of an “outbreak” in the Targeted Masking Plan. The District simply ignored that fact and followed the above-revised definition of an “outbreak” (“one classroom with 3 cases”).
September 13, 2021, Bedford School Board MeetingAt a District School Board meeting on September 13, 2021, District Superintendent Michael Fournier, nevertheless, insisted the Reopening Plan had not been revised. He stated, “[a]ny revisions [of the Reopening Plan] would be on the website. . . . No revisions have been made.” (approx. 1:01:00 of the video recording)
He would later confirm that fact in an email to me on September 29 (at the very bottom):
At the September 13, meeting, Mr. Fournier also conceded the District undertook the action, not him alone or some other administrator: he repeatedly used the pronoun “we” when explaining the decision to declare an “outbreak” at Memorial: “We were unclear on what would constitute an outbreak. . . . There are times when we receive information that isn’t always congruent. . . . If DHHS determines it’s an outbreak, then we mask up.” (approx. 3:10)
Mr. Fournier is certainly an “authority” of the District under the Right-to-Know Law. Accordingly, the actions above were not unilateral actions taken by a lone administrator (Mr. Fournier or Mr. Schappler); they were a collective action taken by the District.
Mr. Fournier also conceded above that the District followed a methodology for identifying an “outbreak” that was different than what the School Board voted to approve in the District’s Targeted Masking Plan above: he explained the District relied, instead, on the DHHS’s unilateral – and ever-changing – determination of what constituted an “outbreak,” and he further explained the information and determinations provided by DHHS “isn’t always congruent.”
Why the District Violated the Right-to-Know LawThe District violated RSA 91-A because it unilaterally modified its Reopening Plan outside a public school board meeting: in concert with DHHS, the District lowered the threshold number of cases upon which it relied for the identification of a “cluster” of cases in Bedford schools without holding a public meeting or providing notice of one. None of the circumstances justifying a nonpublic session under RSA 91-A:3 applied here.
The District later explained – through Mr. Schappler in a court filing – that this revision occurred in discussions outside a traditional school board meeting:
Our Lawsuit Challenging the District’s Action, the District’s Admission of Wrongdoing, and the Court’s ConclusionLike other situations, we filed a lawsuit in New Hampshire Superior Court challenging the District’s decision to change its Reopening Plan and principally argued this modification violated the Right-to-Know Law.
In a motion to dismiss filed in response to the complaint, the District’s attorneys conceded the District’s Targeted Masking Plan defined an “outbreak” as “multiple clusters within a school setting.” The District also conceded it revised that Targeting Masking Plan: it re-defined the definition of an “outbreak” as “[m]ultiple cases comprising at least 10% of students, teachers, or staff within a specified core group* OR at least three (3) cases within a specified core group* . . . AND epidemiologically linked in the school setting or a school-sanctioned extracurricular activity.”
The District’s attorneys also included the email correspondence above with DHHS that confirmed this critical change. The District further conceded – consistent with Mr. Fournier’s statements at the September 13 School Board meeting – that this revision required confirmation by a DHHS official of an “outbreak.”
The District’s conduct was not an “implementation” of its “policy”; it was an outright revision of that very policy, and that revision significantly lowered the threshold for identifying an “outbreak.” It was now also abundantly clear that Mr. Fournier lied at the September 13 School Board meeting and in his September 29 email to me when he claimed the District’s Reopening Plan was not revised.
Nevertheless, after a hearing, the Court concluded (1) there was no change in the Reopening Plan, and — most astonishing — (2) the District’s actions were not actions of a public body subject to RSA 91-A.
These conclusions were obviously erroneous. As explained above, the District conceded it acted as a District (through discussions Mr. Fournier claims “we” undertook) to decide to implement a masking requirement in one of its schools; the District conceded it revised its Targeted Masking Plan; and the District conceded that revision did not occur at a public meeting.
The Court should not have reached these conclusions. Its approval of the District’s action unfortunately condoned the dictatorial actions of a school district that took place in private without any transparency or accountability to the general public.
This kind of government malfeasance often occurs in situations where people least pay attention. The parents in this instance thankfully caught it. Not surprisingly, however, the courts were not helpful in checking yet another instance of government overreach during the pandemic.
The post How the Bedford School District Violated the NH Right to Know Law in September 2021 appeared first on Granite Grok.
As Hayek frequently repeated, many intelligent and informed people of his day had been taken in by the claim that National Socialism was the next logical and historical phase of a collapsing capitalism. His point, one that most would accept today as evident, was that fascism and communism both represent totalitarian systems that have much more in common with each other than either does with the sorts of governments and economic systems that exist under liberal free market democracies. The Nazis demonized and persecuted the communists, to be sure, but it was not because they themselves were capitalists.
-Bruce Caldwell (Intro, 2017 edition, The Road to Serfdom)
Adds Prof. Boudreaux:
Fascism, communism, and socialism (whether “National,” “democratic,” “market,” “Fabian,” or whatever) are all isms the adherents of which demand the use of the state’s coercive power to engineer economic outcomes. Adherents of each of these isms either deny the existence of, or reject the results of, the free-market’s spontaneous-ordering forces.
When one is talking about all forms of Government, the question to be asked is “Who is in Charge?” and if it isn’t you, you’re living under some form of a totalitarian, Hobbesian government. Capitalism is ONLY an economic system and it REQUIRES Freedom for Individuals to choose for themselves in order to work. Capitalism / Free Market-ism depends not on Government sponsored allocation of capital in the creation of goods and services but the Free Will of Individuals, seeking to enhance their self-interest (and not greed as the Statists all claim) for themselves and families.
All other systems are intertwining of some combination of Governance and Economics (and often, Religion as well). Choice is removed from the Individual as Communism (and Socialism, the waypoint to Communism), Fascism, and all others depend on, and are defined by, the subservience of Individials to the State. Monarchies as well and any other system, even if using (in part) a democratic process to select “leaders”, where the Individual isn’t foremost in the resulting hiearchy.
This is the point that the rising “Democrat Socialists” of today wish for you to ignore. Sure, they talk about “Democracy” everywhere but in the end, it is Government making all the major decisions (governmentally, economically, and often, spiritually and morally) and not you yourselves.
Only Capitalism let you do the deciding – all it needs and wants is a Price point on which producers and consumers can voluntarily exchange value with each other.
And that requires a Constitutionally limiting republican (NOT a big “R” republican!) style of governance in which Govt is constrained.
The post Notable Quote – Only Capitalism Puts the Individual Foremost. Everything Else Puts the State First appeared first on Granite Grok.
In the next few months, Vision will wrap up its revaluation for Nashua. Data will be released in early fall. Four years and still no transparency. The City still has not opened property records for access at the assessing counter.
Vision will not answer any questions regarding the depreciation factor problems with properties. Vision and the City will not answer any revaluation questions in general. The City has lost numerous lawsuits under the Right to know laws on assessing records. NO ONE SHOULD TRUST THESE NEW NUMBERS.
The State is fostering closed records in Nashua and is part of the problem. The Board of Tax and Land Appeal opened a court docket on the revaluation to monitor Nashua but only allows the City to be on the docket. CITIZENS HAVE NO VOICE AND ONLY ONE SIDE IS REPRESENTED.
Kim Kleiner is providing the information to the BTLA while appearing to withhold public records from citizens. This is not the voice of truth that should be representing Nashua. The Mayor and legal office appear to be backing this charade.
Nashua has a corrupted assessing office – information corruption remains a problem. I tried to access the property record file on the new art center on February 3, 2022, after a public board of Assessors Meeting. I asked about the file at a December 2, 2021 board of Assessor meeting and was later told I would get answers. No one provided answers.
On February 3, 2022, the City police issued an order that I could not come to City Hall for the day because I was cited by unknown staff for being disorderly. The entire police write-up is a sham. None of this is right. The officer who wrote the record was not at the scene and never identified himself to me. The write-up is below:
“Spoke with several members of City Hall Staff and was informed that the compl[aintant] attended a meeting at City Hall in which she was very vocal. After the meeting the compl[aintant]requested several documents that were not immediately available as they were outside of the building. Upon hearing that she would have to wait for the documents, the compl[aintant]began yelling at city hail employees. The compl[aintant]was then asked to leave the building, after which the compl[aintant]called the police. The compi was acting disorderly and the decision to ask her to leave the building was appropriate. compl[aintant]was instructed to leave the premises and not return for the remainder of the business day and complied without incident. This has been a reoccurring issue with the compl[aintant].”
THESE NEW ASSESSMENTS ARE BEING GENERATED WITHOUT ANY PUBLIC OVERSIGHT AND SHOULD NOT BE TRUSTED.
Threatening to arrest citizens who have been denied access to records for 2.5 years is unacceptable. The Police represent the City not the Citizens. Their raises, union contracts and budgets are controlled by the Mayor. Please write to the BTLA and the Executive Councilors and ask that dockets opened by the BTLA based on citizen discovery allow representation of the citizens.
THERE WILL BE NO CREDIBLE INFORMATION FROM THIS REVALUATION WITHOUT CITIZEN OVERSIGHT.
Executive Councilor David Wheeler <dave@davewheeler.org>, Ted.Gatsas@nh.gov, Cinde.Warmington@nh.gov, “Stevens, Janet” <Janet.L.Stevens@nh.gov>, “Kenney, Joseph” <Joseph.D.Kenney@nh.gov>, resBTLAClerk@btla.nh.gov
The post Nashua Beware of the New Assessment Values appeared first on Granite Grok.
I have never seen anything like this and I’m probably never going to see this again. Thumbnail: At this past Saturday’s Town Meeting, the townfolk voted to HALF the School District Budget from $1.7 million to $800,000. Let that set in.
Now, let me repeat that.
The townfolk that were present at the meeting voted to cut the School District Budget in half.
So, do you think there was any reaction?
Oh boy, there certainly was – and it was on full display Monday night (3/14). While very few showed up at Town Meeting, it was clear that those that didn’t go to Town Meeting showed up for the School Board meeting; they had had two days to realize what had happened. And yes, you can be sure that almost all of them had kids in the Croydon school system.
Mad Killer Bees would have flown away, fearful for their lives rather than try to interact with them – SCARY is too kind of a word to use.
Unbelievable – I could say that it was clear that they weren’t holding THEMSELVES responsible – they were going after the SCHOOL BOARD for….wait for it…not “protecting” the budget from the Town Meeting vote. WHA???? Seriously?
That will be another post – it was and is a very SERIOUS problem.
And about the name-calling, nasty behavior, impoliteness? Yeah, that, too. Sure, I get it – kids. Protect the kids and their futures – I get it (been there, done that).
Upon reflection, I’ve told a few people that if there had been enough rope sitting around, there was a possibility (I would hope just about zero, but…) of a few lynchings happening. It certainly happened verbally and if you watch the SECOND video below, you’ll keep watching for the same reason people watch NASCAR races.
I put this short one up first as I finally couldn’t help myself but to say a few things but not until the mic became free (and THAT took hours) and most people had already left. This video shows me going up twice to the mic.
The second time I went up, I zeroed on a lady that you’ll recognize from the video below. She was one of those that kept blaming the School Board for what had happened – I flipped that narrative on her.
I pointed out that our Founders had said that our Republic depended on “informed and involved” citizens to be successful. I pointed out that she had it exactly BACKWARDS – she thought that the School Board was supposed to do her job for HER. That they were supposed to protect her (and her kids).
I told her that SHE was responsible to vote and to be responsible for protecting the School budget (and kids) IF that was what she wanted to do. School Board?
Not their job. She left rather confused and quiet after receiving my message.
Watching the entire meeting, it’s clear that this is what most of the Parents thought a School Board is supposed to do (it’s not, by the way). While this is 3 hours long and it all cements that attitude, you can get the gist of how the entire meeting went after 15 minutes (or less).
The actual meeting was supposed to be a “working” session for the SB members – given that half their budget vanished, they thought they were going to start exploring all kinds of alternatives – homeschooling, charter schools, VLACS, other online schools, learning pods….time to think out of the box. They understood that the status quo of what they had been doing had been shattered and they only had 19 days to submit their budget to the Dept of Revenue Administration.
ChairLady Jody Underwood (full disclosure: I have known Jody for years and her husband, Ian, is a Croydon Selectman (and was just re-elected) and writes for GraniteGrok) decided that while she would allow a Public Comment section at the top of the meeting, the rest of the time was to be spent brainstorming and “thinking outside of the box” given the constraints that the Town Meeting placed upon them to do what is required of them – provide an adequate education for the 80 school-aged children in Croydon.
Well, THAT plan didn’t last long and the SB members realized that such work wasn’t going to happen. They decided to continue to let people speak their minds – and they certainly did. As you watch however much of the second video, I think that “rantfest” is the perfect word was probably needed but about as ugly as it could get.
I’ll have more to say later.
A BLEG!!! We have 801 YouTube subscribers and we’d like to get to 1,000. Would you consider becoming one? It’s rather easy:
See, EASY! And nothing else is required. You don’t have to come back to YouTube (although you may get notices when we put up new videos but we’ll post them on GraniteGrok anyways).
So, you ask, what’s in it for us? To be perfectly capitalistic about the whole thing – monitization (that new server isn’t going to pay for itself). We used to earn money from folks viewing our videos years ago and then YouTube changed the rules of the game. There are a number of parameters that YouTube requires before they will send us money for folks watching our stuff: number of videos (we’re way beyond that threshold), the amount of time per month that people watch our videos in whole or part thereof (we’re WAY over that as well), and the number of subscribers. In this regard, we’re short; we need 200 new subscribers.
So, the bleg (or “ask”) is to help us get to that number. It costs you nothing and it would result in some small amount of coin to put back into GraniteGrok in supporting our monthly costs and gear and software that helps to do more and better things. A simple click helps get us to that goal.
I made this ask a while ago and people responded – and many thanks for you doing that. I’m asking that others of you if you’d help us. If not, that’s fine – we appreciate you spending your valuable time reading the ‘Grok! If you would, well, many thanks for that as well.
The post Croydon School Board Meeting – How a Work Meeting Turned into a Rantfest appeared first on Granite Grok.
SAY NO TO NATIONAL “DATA SYSTEM”! #PLEASE Tell our Congressperson to vote no on CTA. #SHARE
Click here to tell Congress not to pass the CTA
The federal student data system embedded in this bill is only one conference committee away from President Biden signing into law.
“The College Transparency Act moving swiftly through Congress now aims to collect and share highly personal information about every college student without their consent or ability to opt-out.
According to the bill, the student-level data the federal government collects will include “student-related surveys,” race or ethnicity, age, sex, attendance, program of study, military or veteran benefit status, enrollment, and credential status, distance education enrollment status, and federal Pell Grant status.
Wait, that’s not all.
“[A]dditional data” will be collected and tracked, including but not limited to, economic status, participation in remedial coursework, status as a parent of dependent children, incarceration or confinement status, disability status, and “other” undefined data to be collected as the government later deems necessary.
Notably, biometric data, personality data, and behavioral data collection such as facial expression, threat and risk scores, predictive analytics, and social-emotional data are not prohibited in this bill. The CTA also has language that specifically allows third parties to sell student data (page 58): “nothing in this paragraph shall be construed to prohibit third-party entities from using publicly-available information in this data system for commercial purposes.”
The information in this proposed student data system must also be matched and shared with the U.S. Department of Defense, the Social Security Administration, the Census Bureau, the Office of Federal Student Aid (even if the student did not apply for aid), the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Thanks to loopholes and exceptions in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), these federal agencies can then further disclose student data with other approved agencies and businesses as allowed by law.
In 2011, longtime U.S. Education Department attorney turned lucrative consultant Steve Winnick underscored the importance of denying parents the opportunity to opt-out by declaring, “We don’t want parents to get in the way,” during a Data Quality Campaign webinar, Winnick’s 2009 email to Aimee Guidera, then of the Data Quality Campaign, detailed their (later adopted) proposed FERPA revisions, making it less restrictive and allowing for more disclosures and State Longitudinal Data Systems. In 2011, the Data Quality Campaign again suggested amendments to make FERPA less restrictive on data disclosures.
The Obama/Biden administration removed informed consent and weakened FERPA in 2008 and 2011, despite much opposition and a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Education. That lawsuit noted “the illegality of the agency’s reinterpretation of the statutory terms “authorized representative,” “education program,” and “directory information.”
Fast-forward to November 2021: The Gates-funded Data Quality Campaign and Chiefs for Change promoted the creation of a national student data system.”
H/T Cheri Kiesecker
The post Say NO To National Data System appeared first on Granite Grok.
In true Massachusetts fashion – though it has been a few years since a State House Speaker has been jailed on corruption charges, Boston’s “person of the year*” has been indicted for fraud.
New England’s most prominent exponent of the Black Lives Matter movement is facing charges of bilking donors and using charity funds for personal gain. The highest-profile race activist in Boston, Monica Cannon-Grant, has been indicted by the U.S. attorney in Boston on 18 counts.
How prominent? Well, she’s been showered with awards, mentions, or praise (and money)*.
Is Monica still the Boston Globe’s “Bostonian of the Year?”
Does Boston Magazine still think she’s “the best social justice advocate in Boston?”
Do the Boston Celtics still consider her “a hero among us?”
Does the Boston City Council still offer her “congratulations” after her 18-count indictment?
Does the Roxbury Unity Community still consider her a “Leader of Tomorrow?”
Of all the slobbering, the Globe is probably most responsible for enabling this alleged million-dollar flim-flam to fester for so long.
Related: City of Detroit Sues BLM Protesters for A Coordinated Civil Conspiracy
Following in the footsteps of other BLM leaders, Monica Cannon-Grant managed to get herself in trouble in Massachusetts, a very Blue state. A state that, at least on the political level, trips over itself to pander to her movement.
That’s quite an accomplishment that begs the question.
Who’d she piss-off to earn this sort of particular attention? The current US district Attorney who, as a county DA, gave Cannon-Grant and her husband (also indicted) a 6000.00 dollar grant “to her nonprofit, Violence in Boston Inc., to take a group of at-risk young men to a retreat in Philadelphia.”
Related: Atlanta BLM Founder Tyree Conyers-Page Charged with Fraud and Money Laundering
The trip never happened, and these BLM schemers spent the 6K on…themselves.
“… for, among other things, $145 at a Boston nail salon; over $400 in grocery and Walmart purchases in Columbia, MD; hundreds of dollars in meals costs in Connecticut, New Jersey and Maryland, including at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., Shake Shack, and other restaurants; $1,211 in charges at the Sonesta Suites, Columbia, MD; hundreds of dollars in fuel, parking and car rental costs; and hundreds of dollars in ATM withdrawals….”
Fraud is one thing. They are defrauding a DA who is not a US Attorney? That appears to have inspired a detailed investigation into their financial records and an 18 count indictment for fraud.
What does BLM stand for again? Is it Bilking Liberals for Money?
HT | Thomas Lifson – American Thinker
The post I Guess BLM Also Stands for Bilking Liberals for Money! appeared first on Granite Grok.
Sometimes, a night in with your friends is what you need, especially if you need cheering up. Thankfully, TV has provided us with some of the best entertainment ever made! Narrowing down films can be a hard decision though, so thankfully we have provided a short, yet sweet, selection of funny films for the girls. Enjoy these films on a big screen for the true cinematic experience, and oh, don’t forget to buy some popcorn! Click here for TV wall mounting. However, without further ado, let’s jump in.
Bridesmaids
Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Maya Rudolph….how many more comedian female actresses could we ask for in the one film? Bridesmaids released in 2011, is one of the best funny films for the girls. When Rudolph’s character, Lillian, asks lifelong best friend, Annie, to be her maid of honour following her engagement, the planning begins. However, with competition ahead with another bridesmaid, events are not guaranteed to go smoothly. Whether it be food poisoning in the bridal shop, Megan confronting the air marshal, or Annie causing a scene and getting the full bride squad thrown off the airplane, each scene is bound to will fill you with laughter.
Mean Girls
“That’s so fetch!”, and indeed, this movie is so fetch. Or in translation, awesome, should we say. When Cady Heron moves from Africa to the typical American High School, she is not in for an easy ride. Befriending outsiders, Janis and Damian, they give her a rundown on each clique within the school, highlighting the malicious and self-centered “Plastics” comprised of Regina, Gretchen, and Karen. In an attempt to help Janis take them down, she ends up fake befriending them only becoming, uh, real friends with them? Oh, and then the backstabbing and Burn Book appear. It’s all a bit dramatic really, but could we expect anything less on a movie centered around teen high school girls? With some of the most iconic scenes and quotes in chick flick history, this film is sure to keep you all laughing.
She’s the Man
Who knew Amanda Bynes portraying a guy would be so effortlessly hilarious? Although the actress admitted that she hated rewatching herself with male features on TV, we have to admit, the performance was comedy gold. When her character Viola’s school soccer team is cut, she takes matters into her own hands and imitates her older brother at a school he is avoiding attending. With the help of her friends, she transitions to a boy, sideburns, fake eyebrows, the whole lot! However, she appears to be in a slight pickle when her lab partner (who is also a girl) begins falling for her. Her new roommate Duke, played by Channing Tatum, likes her lab partner, but umm, Viola likes him. A strange love triangle shall we say, but Bynes puts on a show for all viewers.
Bad Teacher
We think that the name of this film speaks for itself. Bad Teacher starring Cameron Diaz features Elizabeth, a lazy and problematic teacher who only appears to be with her fiancé due to his financial stability and the chance for her to escape her job. When he leaves her, she takes a new liking to a teacher, Scott, played by Justin Timberlake. In an attempt to save for plastic surgery to win Scott over, this bad teacher changes her ways when she finds out that the teacher who scores highest in the state exam will receive a bonus. Will she manage to succeed, turn into the best teacher, and win Scott over her competition? Tune into one of the most hilariously funny films for the girls to find out!
The Hangover
When you are having a movie night with the girls, what better way to spend it than watching people get drunk, and go crazy on a wild night out? The Hangover trilogy is got to be one of the most iconic film series we have ever seen, but personally, the first original film has got to be our favourite. A bachelor party, four friends, and Las Vegas, what could possibly go wrong? When Doug, the groom to be, hits Sin City with his two best friends Phil and Stu, oh, and his unusual brother-in-law, Alan, events take a turn for the worst when they wake up from the first night out with a child in their room and a tiger? Oh, and Doug appears to be missing too. Retracing their steps finds the trio in a series of unfortunate events, however, it is entertaining, to say the least!
What Happens in Vegas
Vegas certainly seems to be a top film location for comedy films, and it’s no surprise why, who knows what could happen on this famous strip? Well, Jack and Joy found out the hard way. The two strangers portrayed by Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher take a quick trip to Vegas following mishaps in their personal life, when they meet, they have a wild night out which involves um…tying the knot! Oh, and further complications arise when they hit a three-million-dollar jackpot together and are adamant about splitting the money, although they also want a divorce. Full of sabotaging and mischief, this film is sure to keep you and your girls entertained.
*****
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The post A Selection of Funny Films for the Girls appeared first on Granite Grok.