Once upon a time, scientific inquiry was premised on ideas of objectivity, factual analysis, and avoiding bias. The advent of social justice theory, post-modernist thought, and climate alarmism have polluted the waters of many once-prestigious science journals. This political transformation of what was once called science has given rise to pseudo-scientific partisanship on both sides of almost every issue. The result is dubious science, public confusion, and growing distrust of the scientific community, including the CDC and other public institutions.

America is reportedly engaged in a “culture war” that is itself delineated by two scientific worlds. Was COVID-19 created in a lab using dubious gain-of-function research, or did it hop to humans in a live-animal market in Wuhan? Are hormone blockers and gender surgeries beneficial and lifesaving for youth suffering from gender dysphoria, or irreversible sterilizations with potentially deadly and horrid outcomes? Is the planet doomed to end in a decade due to human-caused carbon emissions, or are such claims overblown and alarmist? This atmosphere of scientific division is seeding public distrust.

The Politicization of Science

Science itself has been politicized, and many major science platforms have been tainted. An intriguing survey of this modern phenomenon by the Manhattan Institute’s James B. Meigs concludes:

“Unfortunately, progressive activists today begin with their preferred policy outcomes or ideological conclusions and then try to force scientists and journalists to fall in line. Their worldview insists that, rather than challenging the progressive orthodoxy, science must serve as its handmaiden. This pre-Enlightenment style of thinking used to hold sway only in radical political subcultures and arcane corners of academia. Today it is reflected even in our leading institutions and science publications.”

A Failure of Journalistic Integrity?

Previously vaunted publications such as The Lancet, Nature, and Scientific American have come under fire for controversial positions in many of these important public policy areas. Scientific American openly endorsed Joe Biden in 2020, claiming “The evidence and the science show that Donald Trump has badly damaged the U.S. and its people,” a not very scientific claim. The outlet later became an ardent opponent of the lab-leak theory, in articles such as “Lab-Leak Hypothesis Made It Harder for Scientists to Seek the Truth.” Bad science tainted with partisan bias may well damage the American people.

The result of this science-warping division is that citizens are becoming increasingly distrustful of scientific arguments and institutions. As the government seeks to stifle scientific inquiry contrary to its official endorsement of climate change, transgenderism, or the animal-transmission theory, disinformation, and misinformation have become linguistic terms of coercion. This further deteriorates public trust: no wonder more Americans have become “vaccine-hesitant,” a situation that is itself then employed to tamp down even harder on dissenting viewpoints. This vicious cycle seeds rancor and more societal division, in a vicious cycle that threatens scientific integrity as well as human health.

This muddying of the intellectual waters has been further compounded by a growth in shoddy scientific journals touting fraudulent “studies.” The Wall Street Journal reports that a “flood of fake science” has forced the closure of multiple journals “infected by large-scale research fraud.” The biggest casualty has been 217-year-old Hoboken, N.J. publisher, Wiley:

“In the past two years, Wiley has retracted more than 11,300 papers that appeared compromised, according to a spokesperson, and closed four journals. It isn’t alone: At least two other publishers have retracted hundreds of suspect papers each. Several others have pulled smaller clusters of bad papers.

“Although this large-scale fraud represents a small percentage of submissions to journals, it threatens the legitimacy of the nearly $30 billion academic publishing industry and the credibility of science as a whole.”

Finding Truth in a Post-Modern Chaos

In the not-so-distant past, readers critically seeking a balanced understanding of political or scientific issues could read the two sides and seek to find a middle ground. In the post-modern milieu of compromised science journals and partisan wrangling, both science and humanity suffer in a spiral that may not wane in time to prevent a major catastrophe. If facts are morphed willy-nilly to suit one’s socio-political agenda, nothing is reliable and there is no solid ground for either scientific or public policy.

As Meigs explains:

“….science is theoretically supposed to be insulated from political influence. Sadly, the new woke style of science journalism reframes factual scientific debates as ideological battles, with one side presumed to be morally superior. Not surprisingly, the crisis in science journalism is most obvious in the fields where public opinion is most polarized.”

The world seeks reliable data and policies with which to fashion crucial private and public decisions. The death of “real science” is a loss to both sides of the political aisle.

 

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

The post Social Justice Ideology Compromises “Real” Science appeared first on Granite Grok.

The Climate Cult’s Green Meanines have been blaming increased atmospheric CO2 for everything, including wildfires—and there is (sort of, kind of) a connection. Arsonists are starting fires when none begin on their own, and then the media and activists blame that on rising CO2.

Absent these acts of eco-terrorism, wildfires have declined in the modern era, but that’s no reason to slow your roll, and the Green goblins at UC Riverside have decided to take this argument out a whole new door.

CO2 is a trace gas in the Earth’s atmosphere, landing somewhere around 0.04% (even after the ‘damage’ caused by modernity). It is also essential to life on Earth, which thrives at significantly higher volumes. It is so critical that even the paltry rise in recent years has greened the planet. We’ve mentioned it a time or two. More CO2 means more robust and insect/disease-resistant plants. It is good for the biosphere and farming, especially in more arid regions.

F-you, the greens would say – that can’t possibly make up for the damage we claim it causes but can’t prove.

Introducing the newest new narrative. “CO2 worsens wildfires by helping plants grow.”

The worldwide surge in wildfires over the past decade is often attributed to the hotter, drier conditions of climate change. However, the study found that the effect of increasing levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) on plants may be a bigger factor.

“It’s not because it’s hotter that things are burning, it’s because there’s more fuel, in the form of plants,” said UCR doctoral student in Earth and planetary sciences and study author James Gomez.

Do you know what else causes wildfires? Rain. Rain makes plants grow (especially wildgrass), which can lead to more wildfires. Drought can lead to wildfires. The poor forest management favored by eco-terrorists. The Eco-Terrorists (who are more responsible for the alleged surge but are never mentioned in the UC Riverside article). Lightning. But yeah, um … CO2.

“To convert light into food in a process called photosynthesis, plants require CO2. Burning fossil fuels for heat, electricity, and transportation is adding increasing levels of CO2 into the atmosphere. Plants use the extra CO2 to make carbohydrates that help them grow, leading to an increase in biomass that burns.”

No CO2, no plants.

Another surprising admission, given the source

“We do need to implement better fire control and have more prescribed burns to use up plant fuel. We need to get rid of the old stuff,” Gomez said.

But Gomez may not eat or live as well if he doesn’t get more climate research grants, so,

“But the best way to decrease wildfires is to mitigate our carbon dioxide emissions. We need more emission control now.”

The issue with Gomez’s plan is that it relies on the West kneecapping itself, while second—and third-world countries are never going to give up a chance at indoor plumbing, flush toilets, and the longer life expectancy that comes from abundant, affordable energy, triple, and quadruple their “emissions.”

Nothing we do can or will address the alleged problem. Gomez and the rest of the Green Addams Family need to go to Asia, India, and Africa and explain to them why they need to continue to live in poverty to sustain the lie.

Or, Gomez could admit he’s a tool of the Marxist using this scam to undermine free markets and capitalism, but that would assume he knows the truth.

The post “Experts” Admit CO2 Greens The Earth … But That’s Bad! appeared first on Granite Grok.

The landscape of subscriptions is undergoing rapid transformation. What was once known as the “subscription economy” has swiftly evolved into the “subscriber economy,” signaling a significant shift in consumer power. Today’s consumers seek access to diverse content beyond TV and movies, including music, lifestyle, gaming, food, health, fitness, and more. Bundling emerges as a vital strategy in meeting these evolving consumer needs. Combining various products or services into attractive packages, cable bundling attracts new subscribers to YouTube TV and revenue streams and helps mitigate customer churn.

Subscriber Bundling Strategy and Its Benefit

Ensuring subscriber loyalty lies at the heart of thriving subscription-based businesses. The key to retaining devoted subscribers is guaranteeing ongoing value from their subscriptions. Given the tendency for subscribers to set up their subscriptions and overlook them, maintaining a top-of-mind presence becomes a challenge for subscription enterprises.

Herein lies the potential of subscription bundles: they offer additional value by integrating supplementary products or services that enrich the existing subscription experience. The trend is clear: savvy subscription enterprises are turning increasingly to bundles as a strategic tool to balance churn and maintain subscriber satisfaction. Subscription bundles of various streaming platforms like YouTube TV offer flexibility, with the freedom to switch subscriptions according to their preferences.

Bundles offer mutual advantages for both users and brands alike. Users benefit from improved economics in their subscription experience, the opportunity to explore new services without immediate financial commitment, and relief from subscription fatigue. Brands, on the other hand, find that bundles aid in retaining their current audience while attracting new ones. Additionally, bundles grant publishers access to firsthand customer data, enhancing their understanding of their audience’s preferences and behaviors. There are different categories of subscription bundling. Do you know what they are?

• Cross-platform bundling involves integrating various subscriptions, such as music with video-on-demand (VOD) services or a cellular plan with complimentary VOD access. This strategy allows users to enjoy a diverse range of services across multiple platforms, enhancing their overall entertainment experience while maximizing the value of their subscriptions.
• Content bundling refers to packing content into bundles, often combining video-on-demand (VOD) services with live TV offerings. Examples include platforms like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV, which stream a variety of major broadcast and cable networks directly to users’ devices.
• Ecosystem bundling involves conglomerates of big tech companies bundling various services into comprehensive packages with numerous perks. Prominent instances of this approach include Amazon Prime, which offers free shipping and access to movies, books, and other exclusive features.

Now that you have understood different bundling subscription services, let’s look at why you should opt for this as a customer.

Streamlines your bill payment procedure

Juggling monthly bills can become burdensome, particularly amidst a busy schedule filled with work and personal obligations. Without an efficient management strategy, it’s easy to overlook payments, leading to frustrating scenarios like internet disconnection due to missed payments. Bundling services offer a solution to such issues. By combining your internet service and TV package, you’ll receive a single, consolidated bill each month. This simplifies your monthly budgeting and streamlines the payment process, minimizing hassle and settling bills.

Save Money from Overpaying

Combining internet and streaming services into bundles presents notable cost-saving opportunities compared to subscribing to each service individually. Bundling allows you to access exclusive discounts and unavailable promotions when purchasing these services separately. Moreover, consolidating your services into a single bundle eliminates the hassle of managing multiple monthly bills, simplifying expense management.

Access to Various Content

Although individual streaming services offer unique content libraries, subscribing to just one means you are capped to what that particular provider delivers. However, bundling your services opens up a world of possibilities, allowing you to access the diverse options available across multiple platforms. For instance, while Disney+ hosts the entire Disney animated catalog, ESPN+ features original sports documentaries. You can relish your favorite sports content and cherished childhood Disney memories. With streaming platforms, you can broaden your entertainment horizons by exploring new shows, movies, and genres, including international content.

Conclusion

Staying competitive in a saturated market demands ongoing innovation and adaptability to cater to subscribers’ continuously changing needs and preferences. Introducing bundle subscriptions to different streaming platforms like YouTube TV can prove highly effective in addressing subscriber fatigue, enhancing convenience, improving customer experience, and attracting new subscribers. Given its numerous advantages, bundling may be the default solution for every SVOD (subscription video on demand) provider.

The post Don’t Overpay on Subscriptions – Bundling is Where It’s At! appeared first on Granite Grok.

Wacky Wendy Thomas wants religion taught in public schools. Not Christianity, of course. No, Wacky Wendy wants climate paganism taught. Children will be taught that those who reject this religion are “climate deniers.” They will be taught that the apocalypse is coming … melting ice will cause massive flooding. What dry land that’s left will be devastated by drought and hurricanes.

But they will be taught that there is still time to repent! Stop eating red meat! Stop driving and use public transportation! Tax fossil fuels … if that means some people cannot afford their heating bills, well, that’s a small price to pay to “save the planet!” Pass the “Green New Deal” … before it’s too late.

To cut to the chase … VOTE DEMOCRAT!

And, needless to say, the children will NOT be taught about the environmental degradation and human misery caused by mining necessary for car batteries. There will be no discussion allowed regarding the obviously absurd claims that both colder-than-normal and hotter-than-normal temperatures are caused by human activity warming the planet.  Religious education does NOT allow questioning of the religion.

Wacky Wendy and her ilk want to turn other people’s children into cultists. This is what Woke-Communists do. This is what Woke-Communists are.

The post Wacky Wendy Thomas Wants Religion Taught In The Public Schools appeared first on Granite Grok.

Just because other countries do something does not mean we must adopt it, too. America used to pride itself on being the innovator, setting the trends for others to follow. Not any longer. We have entered into the lemming mode where we think it is WOKE to conform to Canada, Norway, Switzerland, or any other progressive country with off-the-wall ideas. We even see individual states doing the same thing. Maine desperately wants to be like Oregon, even though Oregon is already reversing course on many of its failed ideas.

Depending on upbringing and religious beliefs, some may have radical thoughts on abortion and medically assisted suicide (MAS) to the point of being repulsed by the concept. Christians, myself included, have always looked upon life as sacrosanct, with birth and death in God’s hands. That is not the case with many people who think that mankind should be the keeper of the bell. These folks want to decide which fetus is to be born and when adults should die, and they are ready and able to assist with either. They will kill a fetus up to the time of birth or help someone to end their life because they have lived enough.

Oregon first accepted MAS in 1997, starting as a ballot initiative under the Death with Dignity Act. Nine more states and Washington D.C. have followed suit, with 20 more States debating various forms of the law. Should all these states pass their version, MAS will be legal in most of the United States. With each passing bill, the concept seems to grow, and the list of reasons accepted broadens. In Canada, where 4% of all deaths are listed as MAS, there is a documented case of a veteran with chronic leg pain who checked with his doctor for a remedy and was asked if he would consider a MAS option. Unfamiliar with the term, the patient inquired and was shocked that he was being offered a ticket out rather than relieved of his pain. The patient was deemed a burden for the system and a long-term expense for Canada, so the best solution for the state is for the patient to opt for MAS. This example shows how little respect there is for life when you open the door to legal death. It also shows how the bar can be lowered significantly as each state tries to be more progressive than the last.

When this idea was young, MAS was considered an option for people who were in the advanced stages of debilitating diseases with less than six months to live and had exhausted all treatment options. There was also a 48-hour wait period as a final obstacle. Now, it has expanded to mental illness, depression, and even alcoholism. These laws may be reversed when more conservative governments take the reins in these liberal states, but we need to fight them before they become law in the first place. We have to stop accepting we have to stay in the backseat as progressive Democrat leadership runs us off the road. We have to help Jesus take the wheel and remove these Democrat’s hands from the wheel.

The post Abortion To Medically Assisted Suicide, Where Will It End appeared first on Granite Grok.

Democrat State Senator David ‘rising’ Watters deserves a new nickname or at least a second one. He earned the first as your atypical environmental legislative radical ranting about accelerated sea level rise (and associated tin-foil-hattery).

His latest obsession is offshore wind; like any good ‘green,’ he’ll have it no matter what anyone thinks.

The offshore wind commission he leads doesn’t post past or future meeting announcements, keeps no minutes anyone can find, and appears to be little more than the appearance of procedural propriety. Look, we had a commission. You can ask questions or offer concerns, but that might get you an email reply about how you will get offshore wind regardless, and BOEM is no different.

Biden’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has issued a report finalizing its environmental review of the Gulf of Maine Offshore Wind Research Lease.\ as if it did one. It found no significant impacts, which suggests the unexplained rise in whale deaths near offshore wind projects isn’t a concern.

In October 2021, the state of Maine requested a research lease for the purpose of researching floating offshore wind energy technology and its deployment. The research site lies 28 nautical miles off the coast of Maine, roughly southeast of Portland, and if developed would comprise up to 12 floating offshore wind turbines capable of generating up to 144 megawatts of renewable energy.

On May 29, 2024, BOEM will publish the “Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Assessment for a Wind Energy Research Lease on the Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf Offshore Maine” in the Federal Register. After carefully considering alternatives described and analyzed in the Final EA, as well as comments from the public and cooperating and consulting agencies on the Draft EA, BOEM finds that the issuance of a wind energy research lease within the proposed lease area offshore Maine, and related site characterization and site assessment activities, would have no significant impact on the environment. As a result, under the National Environmental Policy Act, BOEM is not required to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement in order to issue a wind energy research lease offshore Maine.

The process moves forward without much regard for the unexplained culling of sea life.

I’m no expert. I don’t know if offshore wind is to blame. The whole thing is fishy to me, but I do know that wind is not green, and it will kill sea birds and have some detrimental impacts. If there was a desperate need, we could take time to evaluate the risks further and manage loss because of some higher purpose, but replacing fossil fuels to reduce CO2 emissions is not it. Shutting down cheap, reliable energy for expensive intermittent alternatives is economically irresponsible and will result in real-world harm to people and businesses, including (are you listening, Whale Killer?) minorities.

Even if you believe the warming narratives about CO2, America isn’t the problem. Decarbonizing will only cripple our productivity and performance, hampering economic growth and lending to joblessness and systemic stagflation. India, China, Russia, Africa, and Asia will not leave their people in poverty, and neither wind nor solar, even if they were green and affordable, will ever alleviate that. That’s why they are burning coal, gas, and oil and ramping up capacity.

The sacrifice is literally for nothing, but to progressive resume plumping goofs like Watters, the threat to our lifestyles and sea life is worth it. Look! I got offshore wind! Shower me with accolades.

We will Dave when the whales start to wash up on Hampton Beach.

This is a massive waste of time, resources, and money to pander to a misguided illusion that will cripple the country and our state.

So, what about poor people if you don’t care about whales, dolphins, lobsters, fish, or seabirds? They are already being priced out of the economy by inflation. The influx of illegal aliens is stressing their urban communities. Let’s make everything cost even more, including keeping the lights and heat on in your home. You do know they want it to all be electric, right?

I doubt he believes it or cares. He wants wind. His commission is a bunch of head-nodding bobbles. And I suspect that this project is getting fast-tracked because of the fear that should Trump win, all the federal money (on whose debt and interest advocates have enslaved future generations) might disappear.

So, there is still a chance to stop it. Even if approved, the project won’t reasonably get underway for some time, and, as has happened in states like New Jersey and Delaware, the actual final costs (ongoing operational contrast + real energy costs) will be so high that even goofballs like Watters can’t get it past his own Democrat conspirators. The forward-thinking party probably knows about all this fresh hell but is proceeding anyway while a small raft of Republicans float along for the ride (for reasons I have yet to fathom).

Ultimately, this will prove to be a costly and destructive development, fast-tracked for appearances rather than utility, and expensive even if it never gets built.

Be sure to thank David ‘Whale Killer’ Watters.

 

The post Sen. David ‘Whale Killer’ Watters appeared first on Granite Grok.

With some issues, you can’t just jump right into the pool.  You have to ease in a little at a time.

For example, we couldn’t go straight to constitutional carry.  We had to ease into it, by first having shall-issue licensing.

We couldn’t go straight to legal weed.  We had to ease into it first, by having medical marijuana, and then decriminalized pot.

A friend (who is a former state representative) just called me to tell me that, according to his sources at the statehouse, the state is planning to start selling marijuana at the state liquor stores.

My friend was laughing because years ago, during an audience with His Excellency, he proposed that the state liquor stores should sell liquor, sell marijuana, and offer prostitution.  His Excellency was shocked… and yet, here we are, two-thirds of the way there.

What’s missing for prostitution is an intermediate step, comparable to shall-issue carry licenses and medical marijuana.  Why not medical prostitution?  Or, since legislators seem to like alliteration, medical magdalenism.  (This has the added advantage that many legislators might vote for it without having any idea what it means.)

Magdalenism can be used to alleviate many of the conditions (such as depression and anxiety) that are now treated with pharmaceuticals, without any of the dangers of addiction or overdose or government mandates, and (with oversight by the state) a greatly reduced danger of the transmission of certain diseases.

Imagine how it would work.  You’d go to your doctor, who would tell you that you need to get laid.  He’d write you a prescription, and you’d drop by the state liquor store to fill it. And maybe pick up a fifth of bourbon and a bag of sativa gummies on your way out the door.

Or maybe you’d get a medical magdalenism card, which would authorize a certain number of visits over a certain period of time.

Look, it’s going to happen.  The state is leaving too much money on the table to ignore this opportunity to transmute a punishable crime into a taxable vice.  Why not get started on it sooner, rather than later?

The post Medical Prostitution appeared first on Granite Grok.

This week, the House met to vote on all remaining Senate bills. Since the Senate has been working away, quite a few bills some members strongly supported have been killed or drastically amended, one way or another. So the practice is to attach your pet bill to another that you think the Senate really wants. Any bill that has passed the House is automatically germane to any other bill, so there are lots of choices…

There was no memorial remarks this week, but one member resigned since he’d moved out of his district. We approved 65 non-controversial bills at once, including five from my committee. The first bill on the calendar, SB 558, on insurance coverage for infertility treatments, was special ordered, 325-32, to be the first one taken up after lunch. At that point it was quickly tabled, 325-32.

SB 418, increasing the penalties for refusing to take a breath test when stopped for driving under the influence, was debated, not killed, 101-253, then killed on a voice vote. A major issue was that the forms used when notifying the driver about this test were confusing and didn’t specify the consequences of refusing.

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SB 340, allowing schools to communicate information about special education to parents via email, had a floor amendment with special ed reporting requirements. This was adopted, 184-177, and the bill passed, 186-176, and was not reconsidered, 176-188.

CACR 22, putting the first in the nation primary into the state constitution, was not tabled, 175-187, then debated, and failed to pass, 195-164 (needs 60% for a constitutional amendment.) I don’t really think it’s a constitutional matter, but I voted for it to let the voters have a say.

SB 373, easing the air tightness test requirements in the state building code, was debated on the committee amendment, which added a study committee on Native American affairs. I added a few words in support before the amendment failed, 130-215, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 440, expanding the optometrists’ scope of practice, was the hot bill from my committee. We had the committee amendment, a floor amendment that specified four procedures they would be able to do (once they’d been certified after training and mentoring,) and three speakers lined up on each side – but an opponent promptly moved to table and that motion passed, 224-137.

SB 134, setting up a separate disability pension for victims of violence, had been unanimously recommended by the Finance committee. The first floor amendment, adding HB 1111, a penalty for false reports of abuse and neglect, was explained by the sponsor and not passed, 160-201. A second floor amendment, adding HB 1620, forbidding new landfill permits for seven years, passed on a voice vote, as did the bill.

SB 217, setting up an educator incentive program for rural and under-served areas, was debated and killed, 184-174, and not reconsidered, 177-185. SB 311, providing payments in lieu of taxes for Hampstead – because the state bought the hospital there – was amended to use federal funds rather than state, then not amended to have the state pay part of localities’ pension payments, 177-183. The bill passed, 317-45.

SB 337, on doula and lactation provider certification, had a floor amendment from Dan,

replacing “racially” with “culturally,” which passed on a voice vote after he explained it. Another floor amendment would have added the content of HB 378, which told survivors of sexual assaults of their rights. That bill had passed the House on consent, but was indefinitely postponed in the Senate. This amendment did not pass, 164-195, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 352, setting up an early detection cancer screening program for firefighters, passed on voice votes after one of the firefighter representatives spoke in favor. SB 355, newborn screening for cytomegalovirus; SB 369, increased notice requirements for licensing boards; and SB 393, funding regional drinking water infrastructure, all passed without comment (or floor amendment!)

SB 369, appropriating funds to the culinary arts program at the career and technical center at Alvirne High School in Hudson, had a floor amendment offered to expand the school lunch program to be free for most children. This was debated and failed, 177-185, and SB 369 passed on a voice vote.

SB 403, on the health care workforce, passed 241-122, without debate. I (and 121 other Republicans) was opposed because this created a new, rather nebulously defined category of “community health workers” to grab more Medicaid money for fairly minor activities.

SB 404, making more child care workers eligible for child care subsidies, and SB 406, increasing the daily rate for homeless shelters, both passed without comment.

SB 409, allowing Medicaid to pay for ambulance services other than transport, had the committee amendment adopted without issue, then a floor amendment to add HB 1593, an allocation for recreation for a number of developmentally disabled people. This was explained and passed, 210-152, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 417, on out of home placements for children, was debated on the committee amendment, which strengthens the position of a non-abusive parent in such a proceeding. Currently, the law requires this parent to prove their suitability to keep their own children! The amendment passed, 186-178, the bill passed, 361-3, and was not reconsidered, 33-325.

SB 453, creating an online voter registration portal, went to interim study without comment, since we’d passed a similar House bill. SB 455, increasing Medicaid rates for prosthetic and orthotic devices, passed quietly.

SB 456, adding $300,000 to the existing student loan repayment program for nurses, was debated on the fact that it would only benefit six nurses. The bill was not passed, 178-182, killed on a voice vote, then not reconsidered, 174-186.

SB 463, access to counsel for children in dependency proceedings, passed without discussion.

At this point, Rep. Jason Gerhard, from Northfield, moved to suspend the rules and introduce a bill to demand that all legislators be allowed to visit all government facilities. This is needed because he has a criminal record and has been forbidden from the prison and the county jail; he spoke earnestly on the need for actual interactions with the people there to prevent the sorts of abuse that happened in the youth center. The motion failed, 148-216; I voted for it because he’s on my committee.

SB 476, appropriating $40 million for engineering and design of a new prison, had a floor amendment

to add HB 1711, which reports mental health judgments to the federal gun clearance database. This was debated and passed, 202-165, and the bill passed, 212-155. At this point a scuffle broke out between the member who’d moved and spoke for the floor amendment (Rep. Roy from Deerfield) and Rep. Aures from Chichester. We recessed while they calmed down, then another representative – uninvolved in the kerfuffle – moved to reprimand them for conduct unbecoming a representative. Each reprimand was tabled on a voice vote and we continued with out business.

SB 499, a motley collection of anti-hunger programs, was debated at length over the majority committee amendment, which deleted all of them except for a simplification of the application process for seniors. This amendment finally failed, 182-185, and the minority committee amendment was debated and passed, 192-178. This was similar to the majority amendment but also required HHS to work on a program for supplemental food aid in the summer for children who got free or reduced lunches from their schools. Then a floor amendment added HB 1466, emergency aid to towns, 189-181. The bill, as amended, passed 235-136 without further discussion.

SB 553, requiring the public investment pool invest in New Hampshire, is an attempt by the New Hampshire bankers to get these funds, which are currently accumulated from towns, counties, and various municipal trust funds and invested for safety and high returns. The committee amendment, which required 30% of the fund be invested in New Hampshire banks, was debated and passed on a voice vote. The bill was further debated and not passed, 176-190, then sent to interim study on a voice vote.

SB 567, requiring a report on the availability of two abortion drugs, was tabled, 302-54, before debate. SB 591, on the youth development center settlement fund, was debated on the committee amendment, which eliminated the authority to borrow money for these settlements. It passed, 187-173, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 596, on how to assess children with special needs for extra funding for childcare, had a committee amendment to convert it to a study committee on the issue. This was debated and not passed, 180-182; the bill also did not pass, 181-182; was not tabled, 182-183; killed, 187-178; and not reconsidered, 177-188. I was surprised nobody went for indefinite postponement …

SB 604, providing a death benefit for the family of Bradley Haas, who was killed in the line of duty while working as a security guard at the state hospital, had a floor amendment from Dan, which put security guards into the list of those employees eligible for this benefit. It passed after he explained it, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 503, requiring a criminal background check for fish & game guides, had a floor amendment to legalize brass knuckles, etc, for adults. This was debated and passed, 183-181. Another floor amendment wanted to add HB 1400, which forbade some parking requirements in zoning ordinances – mostly needing more than one parking space per unit. This was briefly debated and passed, 262-104; SB 503 as amended passed on a voice vote.

SB 402, allowing pharmacists to administer more vaccines and not require explicit legislative approval for each vaccine, had a floor amendment to add three vaccine-related House bills: HB 1213, which deleted the requirement child care agencies keep track of the vaccination status of each child; HB 1194, changing the definition of

“noncommunicable disease” as it related to required vaccines; and HB 1669, restricting data sharing by the immunization registry. This was debated and failed, 177-185; the bill was debated, with the main issue being that approval by the FDA and recommendation by the CDC was taking the place of legislative approval. The bill passed, 231-135. I was opposed.

SB 411, creating a study committee on emergency mental health services for minors, was briefly debated and passed on a voice vote.

SB 419, a fairly minor bill on reports about the medical cannabis program, had a committee amendment that made some technical corrections and also included the content of HB 1231, which allowed users of the program to grow their own. This passed, 236-122, and the bill passed on a voice vote.

SB 461, requiring providers to report some data on abortions, was, as expected, debated at some length and killed, 201-164. SB 505, repealing the sunset of the ban on hemp products containing THC, had a floor amendment to simply move that repeal out by three years. It was debated for longer than I thought necessary, and not passed, 172-190. A second floor amendment added the content of HB 1633, the House version of cannabis legalization and regulation; after some debate, that also failed, 87-278, and the bill passed, 242-124.

SB 559, on the vaccine association, simply adds the RSV vaccine to the existing vaccine purchase and distribution program. A floor amendment requiring that vaccine be of proven safety and efficacy was debated (really!) and failed, 176-185. After more debate, the bill passed, 192-171. I was opposed because adding a vaccine that is not safe and effective is just wrong.

SB 330, allowing the unemployment program to consider remote work, passed without comment.

SB 431, on wake surfing, was debated on the committee amendment which changed the setback to 300 feet. The amendment passed, 193-164, and the bill passed, 214-148. I supported the amendment but not the bill, since the opposition to wake surfing is driven by waterfront property owners – wind causes much more erosion than wake surfing.

SB 527, on student housing, simply created a study committee. The committee amendment added HB 1281, forbidding zoning ordinances that limit fewer than 2 people per bedroom or ban more than three unrelated people. This was debated at length, then failed, 173-179, and the bill passed, 199-154.

SB 358, invalidating out of state driver’s licenses issued to undocumented immigrants, was debated at length, was killed, 176-174, reconsidered 176-175, then killed again! 176-174. I personally don’t have that much of a problem with these licenses, except that many of them can be used to vote – and that is a problem.

SB 469, allowing video surveillance at a park and ride facility under some circumstances, passed without comment. SB 501, on driver’s licenses for non-citizen residents, was debated on many of the same issues as SB 358. It passed, 181-169, with eight Republicans joining all Democrats in favor.

SB 510, simplifying the sale of vehicles sold to Massachusetts residents (now that they use temporary plates) passed without comment.

SB 485, procedures for temporary occupational licenses for military members and their spouses, had a committee amendment to focus on licensing

boards not within the OPLC. That passed without comment, then a member moved a floor amendment with penalties for false accusations of abuse or neglect in family court. After a little talk, it passed, 173-169, and the bill passed 175-169.

SB 543, establishing the state environmental adaptation, resilience, and innovation council, was not tabled, 170-175, then debated at tedious length. It passed, 172-168.

Rather a long day, with the common good start tapering off to a weak finish. More Republicans than Democrats have a life and tend to leave early, so long days are not our friend.

Next week we’ll be meeting to concur (or not) on Senate-amended House bills. They got very busy this week and slapped a lot of bills we don’t like onto others, hoping to get their pets through one way or another.

The post Your State House appeared first on Granite Grok.

Some dude named Jared Ravizza, who identifies as “she” and claims to be “a beautiful soul who continuously works for the betterment of his community,” just went on a multiple-town stabbing spree in Massachusetts.

Jared (she) also self-describes as an artist (just like Joker in the first Tim Burton Batman Movie), so perhaps Jared’s idea of betterment is subjective. The bigoted term for it is assault with a deadly weapon, possibly with the intent to kill (see also attempted murder). And if you care, Jared committed all this alleged community betterment in Massachusetts, specifically an AMC Theater in Braintree (four stab victims, all female – ages 9 to 17), and two more at a McDonalds in Plymouth (one woman who also identifies as a woman and one man who identifies as a man).

I’m not sure what made Jared all stabby, but reports indicate no one sustained a life-threatening injury, so Jared’s not good at this either. All were treated at local hospitals. Jared is in custody after crashing his/her SUV (which he won’t need anyway, so he might as well burn that bitch, am I right?).

After the reported incident in Plymouth, Massachusetts State Police then began to pursue the vehicle before it crashed in Sandwich.

Photos shared with Boston 25 News showed the suspected SUV blackened and charred on Cotuit Road in Sandwich after catching on fire following the crash.

Four girIs, ages ranging from 9 to 17, were st*bbed by a maniac at an AMC theatre yesterday in Braintree, MA.

No details about the suspect yet… pic.twitter.com/ecPUvoNbR0

— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) May 26, 2024

Jared is also allegedly connected to a homicide in Connecticut on which there are no details presently.

And this is the part where I remind everyone that none of Jarend’s victims was likely armed, or Jared might not have gotten quite as stabby. Pepper spray, by the way, can also be a fabulous accessory that, properly applied, makes driving from the scene difficult to impossible. I believe you can carry it in the Bay State now, and you can get it delivered tomorrow from Amazon (I am not sure about age restrictions; you should do your own leg work on that). This is still Massachusetts. It’s filled with illegal alien pedophiles and guys who say they are girls that get stabby.

So, you can’t be too careful.

I should also warn you that because this is Massachusetts, just because the state was forced to acknowledge that you have a right to defend yourself doesn’t mean they won’t arrest and prosecute you for attempting or succeeding.

The post Night Cap: Transwoman “…Who Continuously Works for the Betterment of His Community,” … Stabs Five appeared first on Granite Grok.