Announcing the GraniteGrok reader survey results: NH’s Power Players

The long-anticipated day has arrived. Surely everybody who’s anybody is already looking at the results, wondering if they were fortunate enough to make our list. Our sincere apologies to those of you who have fallen short on your sleep, nervous in the anxiety of whether or not you’ve made the list. Worry no more, for the … Read more

August GOP Primary Online Straw Poll

. Matt Margolis of GOPBloggers has his latest online poll up. While we have the ability to do our own here at the Grok, we are placing Matt’s here for our readers to participate in because, of all the online polls one sees, his is a little more extensive and will hopefully provide, for whatever … Read more

National Gay-Rights Group is Right!

Ray Buckley

NH Dem Chair Ray Buckley (GG file photo)

 

Click here first to read my post: Is Civil Union Legislation Based on Lies? Then click here and read “Gay-Rights Group Pushed for State Democrats in ’06.” More disturbing is this article from the Boston Globe. Yep, that’s right, they were the single biggest donor to the democrats. But, of course the dems weren’t influenced by the money, geez, ya gotta explain everything. da mi il soldi!

 

Spending almost $150,000 on New Hampshire state races by the Human Rights Campaign…I wonder why they just don’t call it what it is; i.e., Gay Rights Campaign?…paid off for them. They switched their focus from national politics to influence state politics, particularly NH, Iowa and Oregon. Smart move, I’d say.

 

I recently read an opinion published in one of the papers that said there was no out-of-state influence regarding pushing civil unions in NH. Well, the Human Rights Campaign donation would prove that person’s theory wrong. Not only did they contribute money, according to the editorial, but an employee traveled to NH to assist with get-out-the-vote efforts and phone-banks. Do you think he was encouraging Republicans to vote?

 

The President of the Human Rights Campaign states:

 

“We understood that in order to change things at the federal level, we had to play a role in changing things locally.”

 

Of course they were successful in changing things here locally. They don’t live in NH and NH citizens didn’t get a chance to vote on the issue of civil unions, but I guess many NH citizens simply are too apathetic to care that NH was being influenced by “outsiders.”

 

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Something else to drive the “Chimps” nuts…

. Apparently the ‘Grok has been adopted as the poster child for everything that drives the lefties at Dr. Joan Bushwell’s Chimpanzee Refuge blog completely bonkers. Using big fancy words in some apparent attempt at demonstrating their superior intelligence, interspread with salty language mostly heard in biker bars and drunken sailor enclaves, the "Chimps" cannot say … Read more

“Adequate Education”… Slowly I turned…step by step…inch by inch…

Tax Monster
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The Wikipedia tells us that the phrase starting with the words
"Slowly I Turned" is the most common name associated with a popular vaudeville sketch that has also been performed in cinema and on television…
It is a familiar comedic routine that
has two performers pretending to meet for the first time, with one of them becoming highly agitated over the utterance of particular words. Names and cities (such as Niagara Falls) have been used as the trigger, which then send the unbalanced person into a state of mania; the implication is that the words have an unpleasant association in the character’s past. While the other performer merely acts bewildered, the crazed actor relives the incident, uttering the words, "Slowly I turned…step by step…inch by inch…," as he approaches the stunned onlooker.
The most famous users of this vignette are, of course, Bud Abbott and Lou Costello and the Three Stooges. In what seems to be a fitting tribute to moronic troupes such as them and others, I am writing today about NH’s tax and spend legislature.
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Like the aforementioned description of certain trigger words that cause an unbalanced person to become highly agitated accompanied by a state of mania, along comes the broad-based tax crowd. You know who I mean: the usual suspects that, upon hearing the words "adequate education funding" immediately lapse into their default mode of new taxation.
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Consider the reporting in today’s Laconia (NH) Daily Sun (unavailable online) written by Chris Dornin of Golden Dome News entitled Let the struggles over school funding start in earnest. He notes that the 19 towns and school districts that are involved in the latest version of the annual "adequate education funding" lawsuits filed against the state in the years since the so-called "Claremont Rulings"
agreed last week to drop their claims against the state without prejudice…
Good news, right? Not really. As a matter of fact, the news is not good at all.

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Dope of the Week: He just wants to be a star, I guess…

. . I could not find this story anywhere online. The Laconia Daily Sun is reporting in today’s edition that "A convicted robbery getaway driver is in trouble for allegedly showing off weapons on MySpace.com and bragging on the social networking site about drinking and using drugs, prosecutors say." It further notes that Brice Chase, 19, … Read more

‘Grok ‘n Roll: Big Bad Bill is Sweet William Now… Not!

David Lee Roth Eddie Van Halen
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Well, I went down yonder in Louisville
Lived a cat named Big Bad Bill
I wants ta tell ya
Ah, the cat was rough and tough he would strut his stuff
Had the whole town scared to death
When he walked by, they all held their breath
He’s a fightin’ man, sure enough
And then Bill got himself a wife, now he leads a different life
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Big Bad Bill is Sweet William now
Married life done changed him somehow
He’s the man the town used to fear
Now they all call him Sweet Papa Willy Dear
Stronger than Sampson I declare
‘Til a brown-skinned woman’s bobbed his hair
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Big Bad Bill don’t fight anymore (No, no, no)
He’s doin the dishes an’ moppin’ up that floor (Yes he is)
Well he used to go out drinkin’ lookin’ for a fight
Now he gotta see that sweet woman every night
Big Bad Bill is Sweet William now
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Aw, play it boys
(Clarinet Solo)
Aw, yeah!
Whoo!
I likes that, yeah ("Yeah," say I)
Ah, y-well, Big Bad Bill don’t fight anymore (No, he don’t)
He’s doin’ the dishes ‘n moppin’ up that floor (Yes he is)
Well he used to go out drinkin’ lookin’ for a fight
Now he gotta see that sweet woman every night
Big Bad Bill is Sweet William now (Doin’ the dishes)
Big Bad Bill is Sweet William now (Moppin’ up that floor!)
Big Bad Bill is Sweet William now
Cha!
Yeah!
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Guess what? "Big Bad Bill" is "Big Bad Bill" once again! Well, not exactly, but the boys who made the song famous are back! My guess is that when they hit the circuit, they’ll be as big and bad as they were in the day… probably even more.

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Welfare Poem

welfare sticker
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Well, I have no idea if the figures in the poem below are correct, etc., but you get the drift, huh? Read the poem (after my discourse)  and let me know if it makes you angry, okay?
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Somewhat related to this, I’ve been following some of the coverage on the Pelosi/Shea-Pompous upcoming trip to New Orleans along with the other 13-14 democratic party animals. The story is interesting. Why, you ask? The comments are overwhelmingly against them going to New Orleans for what most people believe is merely another photo op and Bush bashing expedition at taxpayers’ expense.
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What does Congress do about approval ratings in the single digits? Go on a trip, of course. They are all on vacation anyway. Many people are mad at Pompous and wondering why she doesn’t work here in NH to solve fixing the many roads and bridges that are red-lined, help those who have suffered flooding problems here, feed the one in ten children who go to bed hungry…you know work on NH’s many unsolved problems. We’re 6th in income but 49th in services to citizens right here in NH. Where’s the NH way?
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Not a big photo op here, I guess, as it probably wouldn’t get national exposure. Playing on people’s sympathies works very well many times. What some people don’t seem to understand is that you can fell sorry for somebody, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you have to "do" something for them, especially if they’re not willing to do something for themselves.
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We all like to give, partly because it makes us feel good about ourselves. Obviously, when there’s a real crisis as there was with Katrina, we should all try to do our part to help. But, sometimes people don’t appreciate what they get for nothing so it can be more harmful to them and what they may need is to become responsible and accountable and held to a higher standard sometimes too. I’m not saying we still shouldn’t be trying to help people in New Orleans, but sometimes "help" can actually hurt.
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I was in Vail about a year ago. I rode the shuttle van from Denver and met a New Orleans’ football player who was going to see an ortopaedist in Vail. We started talking about Hurricane Katrina.
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VLog– Question for McCain: Was Truman right?

John McCain meets the press in Wolfeboro, NH . As Skip has noted in his previous postings, we got to ask Senator McCain several questions following Friday’s "town hall" style campaign event at the Wright Museum. Given that we were in a World War II museum, and it is the 62nd anniversary of Truman’s decision to … Read more

Hillarous Hillaryisms!

Hillary Clinton

Hillary in Manchester, NH (GG file photo)

Perhaps you’re a morning person like me so you miss the late-night comedians.

Why are these so funny? Yeah, it’s because they’re based on so much truth! Start your day with some belly laughs!

"Hillary Clinton said that her childhood dream was to be an Olympic athlete. But she was not athletic enough. She said she  wanted to be an astronaut, but at  the time they didn’t take  women.  She said she wanted to go into medicine, but hospitals made her woozy.   Should she be telling people this story? I mean she’s basically saying she wants to be president because she can’t do anything else."

         –Jay Leno

"Well, the big story — Hillary Clinton will be running for president in 2008.  You know why I think she’s running?  I think  she finally wants to see what it’s like to sleep in the president’s bed."

       –Jay Leno

 "Top Democrats have mixed feelings about Sen. Hillary Clinton  running for president.  Apparently, some Democrats don’t like the idea, while others hate it."

        –Conan O’Brien

 "In a fiery speech this weekend, Hillary Clinton wondered why  President Bush can’t find the tallest man in Afghanistan.  Probably for the same reason she couldn’t find the fattest  intern under the desk."

       –Jay Leno

"Former President Bill Clinton said that if his wife, Hillary, is elected president, he will do whatever she wants.   You know Bill Clinton — when he makes a vow to Hillary, you can  take that to the bank."

       –Jay Leno

A student from the University of Washington has sold his soul on eBay for $400. 

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END THE WAR!

I’ve recently seen a few signs around with this disturbing slogan: “Support the Troops, End the War!” In fact, I just returned from Town and saw a few along my way home.

 

Would someone please, please explain to me how stating “End the War” is in reality supporting our VOLUNTEER troops? Explain how ending the war in Iraq is, in fact, the end of the global war on terror?

 

Are you people all former hippies, draft dodgers and on an acid trip or what?

 

Supporting the troops is getting behind their mission and THEM by encouraging them AND TELLING THEM THAT YOU KNOW THEY CAN WIN! If you think bringing all the troops home tomorrow solves the complex issue of the global war on terror, or you believe that there is no GLOBAL WAR OF TERROR you’ve obviously lost some brain cells from your drug days or you’re a democrat or both.

 

What the hell is wrong with you people? You think committing psychological warfare against the Armed Forces who are fighting to protect your freedom and keep terrorists out of the USA is supportive? Oh yeah, there’s already terrorists in the USA who have been caught, thank God, before they’ve blown up more buildings and people like you to bits!

 

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… and a good time was had by all. Republican Machine Gun Shoot

My kid shot something similar to this Sunday at the shoot– M1A1 Thompson Submachine Gun with 30 Round Magazine. . You know the routine when it comes to the typical Republican party fundraisers. Buy a ticket for some thirty bucks or so. Go to a picnic or a dinner of some sort, oftentimes with food of questionable … Read more

Honey! Grab the kids… We’re goin’ to the machine gun shoot!

. . This is the most innovative fundraising idea I have seen in many years. Why should those nutcase Jihadis and the crazy Arab "street" gangsters we see on TV have all the fun all the time? You know what I’m talkin’ about– every time they’re happy… or sad… or anything in between, they always … Read more

I know that guy!

I live 5 miles from the center of the Town of Bradford. There’s not much excitement here in this rural community especially out where I live. It’s why we moved here from Bedford’s hustle and bustle in 1991. We love the outdoors and the privacy we have on our 27 acres. Yep, even a river runs through it…well, it’s really a brook and, unfortunately, I’ve never seen Brad Pitt fly fishing here although he and Angelina and the kids are welcome.

We regularly watch deer from our farmer’s porch. Beautiful herron’s land on our pond, and life is pretty simple and quiet most of the time. Sometimes we see bears and moose cutting through our property. Canadian geese make regular stops when migrating. Wood ducks mate and meander through the water. It’s peaceful and beautiful, and we’re blessed to live permanently in what many others would consider a vacation home.

Unbelievably, the peace was interrupted Monday when the little branch of Lake Sunapee Bank was robbed at knife point. Yep, it’s where I bank and I know all of the tellers by name and see them out and about elsewhere in the community.

I also substitute taught at the Kearsarge Regional School District for several years and fairly regularly saw Mark Laspesa,, the alleged bank robber, sweeping and going about his custodial duties. I talked to him there a few times and he helped me move some desks. He was always pleasant to me.

I was shocked to see his picture in the paper, click here, while he was in the midst of allegedly robbing my local bank. More accurately, "armed robbery" since apparently he had a knife.

Mr. Laspesa is most definitely the Dope of the Week. Why, you ask? He wears no disguise, he banks at the branch he alledgedly robbed, he uses his own car, the tellers and many people in town know him; when the police catch him, he still has the clothing and knife used in the robbery…need I go on!

It really makes me wonder why this quiet, former custodian would do such a stupid thing. Since he made it so easy to be caught, I can’t help but wonder what made him so desperate? I almost feel sorry for him, although I’m sure the very nice gals down at the bank may have been quite frightened. I’m sure I’ll see them later today, when I do some banking, and hear the entire story.

Of course, it’s all the town’s people have talked about since then. Well, at least it takes the focus off of what they usually gossip about. You know small towns; if they don’t know anything about you, they just make stuff up whether it’s true or not. Our family was verbally "victimized" by many townspeople shortly after we moved here because people "heard" we were in ministry.

The rumors were unbelievable and some of them were just plain bizzare. My husband and I tend to ignore such things, but when our 6-year old son came home from school one day and told us about some of the horrible things kids were saying to him about us, my husband took action. 

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