Rick Olson

Rick Olson is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University with a BA in Social Science. Rick subsequently attended Massachusetts School of Law in Andover MA. Rick takes up second amendment issues on Granite Grok, as well as issues surrounding hunting, fishing, trapping and wildlife issues. Rick Olson is a former Police Officer and Deputy Sheriff. He is Past President of the New Hampshire Wildlife Federation, President of the Londonderry Fish & Game Club Rick is a nationally certified firearms instructor and a Hunter Education Instructor. He can frequently be found teaching Urban Rifle and Defensive Pistol classes as an Instructor with Defensive Strategies in Goffstown, NH. Rick resides in Manchester with his wife Lisa. He has four children and ten Grandchildren.

TAKE A QUICK SURVEY FOR N.H. HOUSE RINO OF THE YEAR

September 26, 2018December 31, 2011 Rick Olson

New Hampshire Wire Tap Laws and the Wheedling Legislature

September 26, 2018December 30, 2011 Rick Olson

“All men profess honesty as long as they can. To believe all men honest would be folly. To believe none so is something worse.” —John Quincy Adams

Yesterday, a Union Leader Editorial featured commentary about the flaws of New Hampshire’s Wire Tapping and Eavesdropping laws currently in place. The commentary came on the heels of the Supreme Court upholding the Conviction of the now-deceased and infamous Kristin (McDonald) Ruggiero, an evil shrew who sought to use the courts as a cudgel and see her ex-husband locked away, ruined and broken.

The nexus of Kristin’s appeal asserted that the lower court incorrectly admitted photographic evidence of her committing her crime. The problem for Kristin was evidence established she placed the calls from California to South Carolina, jurisdictions that lack the criminally enabling restrictions codified in New Hampshire statutes. Summarily, she lost her appeal. Following notification by her lawyer, Mark Sisti, the grim reaper came for a visit shortly thereafter.

WHO IS THE “RINO” OF THE YEAR FOR 2011?

September 26, 2018December 30, 2011 Rick Olson

With 2011 drawing to a close We here at GraniteGROK have made some attempt to detail who we think are the Republicans in Name Only. Some choices were a literal “no-brainer” while other choices were not so clear cut and dry. Perhaps we got it right, while other times we got it wrong. Only history and voting records can judge.

KRISTIN RUGGIERO LOSES ON APPEAL TO THE SUPREME COURT AND DIES IN PRISON

September 26, 2018December 29, 2011 Rick Olson

“Hell Hath no fury like a woman scorned…”—unknown

The Supreme Court rejected Kristin Ruggiero’s appeal yesterday Morning. Thereafter, Kristin was found in the throes of a seizure and transported to Catholic Medical Center in Manchester where she was pronounced dead.

Some speculate her death to be suicide, while other morons are doing what they usually do: Pointing fingers of blame at DOC. None will know what the nature of her death is until the State Medical Examiner releases his findings. Meanwhile, the armchair warriors and commentators weighing in at the Union Leader on Line versionoffer their, “two cents,” alleging facts, suppositions and allegations contained nowhere in the article.

I have been writing about this case for over a year, following it closely. Kristin Ruggiero was perhaps the most dangerous woman in New Hampshire. In my entry on 12/22/10 on NHInsider.com I detailed as follows:

Kristin Ruggiero Ex-boyfriend Gets State Prison

September 26, 2018December 29, 2011 Rick Olson

“It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.” —Buddha

Last Friday, The Union Leader’s Jim Kimble reported that #KristinRuggiero ex-boyfriend #BrendanBisbee received a 2 to 4-year state prison sentence for his role in trying to have Kristin’s ex-husband Jeff Ruggiero jailed. Amidst speculation that Bisbee might receive a suspended sentence and probation, Kristin’s mother Elizabeth “Kim” McDonald still faces charges, along with Jeff Ruggiero’s estranged brother Daniel.

Brendan Bisbee was a ten-year veteran of the Barre Massachusetts Police Department. Now, Brendan Bisbee is commorant of the New Hampshire State Prison. Bisbee received a two to four-year sentence in state prison following his October 21 conviction on five counts of perjury; for his role in the conniving, lying, and bad behavior of his ex-girlfriend Kristin Ruggiero, when he perjured himself during both the investigation and at her May 2009 trial.

Kristin Ruggiero framed her ex-husband Jeff Ruggiero, having him jailed for threats she alleged came from him. Kristin had purchased a disposable cell phone and engineered the threats to appear as originating with Jeff Ruggiero. The Rockingham Superior Court sentenced Kristin to 7 to 14-years in State Prison for her falsifications.

What Is In A Campaign Ad?

September 26, 2018December 23, 2011 Rick Olson

“If you’re going to be crazy, you have to get paid for it or else you’re going to be locked up.” —Hunter S. Thompson

I am watching the television. I cannot remember which station or what show. But to be certain, it was the Discovery Channel, Learning Channel, Smithsonian, NatGeo, Military Channel or Fox News. Most other television is, in the words of Frank Lloyd Wright, “Chewing gum for the eyes.” With the current political season upon us, the channels are replete with rank and file political ads. Political ads that are simply unavoidable.

One that galvanizes in my mind is a recent hard hitting, vitriolic ad put out by the Ron Paul campaign where Newt Gingrich is the target. The ad uses sound bites, sober and serious background music and billowing voice enhancements to create a serious, yet stoic collection of imagery. If one hates Newt Gingrich, this ad is a, “must-appreciate.”

Bay State Transplants Support the Sign Warning Bill While “Mass-holes” Oppose it

September 26, 2018December 20, 2011 Rick Olson

“There is nothing more likely to start disagreement among people or countries than an agreement.” —E. B. White

Today’s Union Leader Editorial weighed in on House Bill 1412, referred to as the, “Massachusetts New Hampshire Warning Sign Act.” The UL likes the bill, but opines the measure does not go far enough. The folks over at the UL think we should also expand the concept to include Maine and Vermont. Perhaps in some incidences that might be arguably appropriate.

CRYBABIES

September 26, 2018December 19, 2011 Rick Olson

“My door is always open-bring me your problems.” This is guaranteed to turn on every whiner, lackey and neurotic on the property.” —Robert F. Six

It’s rarely ever a good idea to solely devote any kind of a blog entry to a person who has responded to an entry written, where that respondent or his or her comment is the central thesis. What the old adage? “Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people…” I like to follow that concept, but it gets exceedingly hard in the sphere of religion and politics. After all, ideas and events do not simply osmose into the realm of virtual communication, but are brought forth by people.

So we go about the business of writing our rants, posting our blogs in fact, often times intentionally being irksome about it. And we often post sometimes very serious ideas, we are challenged, condemned, called into question and disagreed with. That is the nature of this beast.

The Shrill Kathy On Religion, Fatties, Food Stamps, And Republicans

September 26, 2018December 16, 2011 Rick Olson

“I have a great diet. You’re allowed to eat anything you want, but you must eat it with naked fat people.” —Ed Bluestone

It’s a different kind of day when the Shrill Kathy graces the pages of the Union Leader with feigned pity for Republican candidates. And what can be said of the Shrill Kathy where she takes the opportunity to grossly mischaracterized an ad put out by the Perry Campaign. She states, “Rick Perry Complains…” But does he really? Or are the assertions in the spot a pointed statement about the current and existing situation. Having served in the United States Marine Corps, I can tell you there were individuals present and serving who were gay. And they continued to serve.

Grocery Stores And Courtesy…NOT!

September 26, 2018December 15, 2011 Rick Olson

“Anyone who believes the competitive spirit in America is dead has never been in a supermarket when the cashier opens another checkout line.” —Ann Landers

"Let me call my Manager while I pretend to care about your damned problem"

Your Turn, NH, a weekly New Hampshire Union Leader feature, gave ink to young Natasha Cole of Hudson, a U-Mass Lowell Student and cashier to speak out to the diseased and afflicted unwashed masses. Cole asks customers to, “Have some courtesy for your cashiers this holiday season,” and not to spew her with your collection of germs and bodily juices while shopping at the local grocery store. The points made by Cole are valid. No dispute there. I know nobody who desires to get sick over the holiday season, much less anytime.

I, as a consumer, being forced to use such establishments, am not lost on Cole’s underlying sentiments. In fact, those very establishments that Natasha speaks of have overtly acknowledged the need for such disease consciousness with the installation of sanitary wipe dispensers at the grocery store point of entry. Customers are able to wipe down the shopping cart handle. Waterless hand sanitizer is also often present. But while the topic of exposure minimization would appear to be the thesis, the underpinning thesis her topic is couched in, is courtesy. Grocery stores! absolute fodder for social scientists and cultural commentators like me, so I would be remiss pass up such an opportunity to address…even expand the concept of grocery store courtesy.

Armed Citizen: 1, Criminals and Anti-gun Liberals “0”

September 26, 2018December 13, 2011 Rick Olson

“Gun bans disarm victims, putting them at the mercy of murderers or terrorists who think nothing of breaking the gun laws.” — Michael Bednarik

Yesterday at approximately 9:30 AM, an unknown person kicked in a locked door of an apartment residence in Merrimack As reported in the Union Leader… A forced entry. The female resident of that apartment, alone…was awoken by the intrusion. She consequently confronted the intruder, armed with a handgun. The intruder fled. The intruder fled.

Compromise: The New Hegelian Dialectic

September 26, 2018December 10, 2011 Rick Olson

“I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice! And let me remind you also that moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.”—Barry Goldwater

With the coming of the Holiday season, some conversations will invariably gravitate to politics. One particular assertion during one such conversation galvanized in my mind a rather flawed logic. A flawed logic that is at the very heart of the probable cause of why America is on the path to destruction that it is today.

This particular relative, one who describes himself as a moderate, condemned this President, the House and the Senate for doing absolutely nothing to improve conditions in America. His viewpoint is that neither the Democrats nor the Republicans are willing to compromise…to reach across the aisle, to, “work together.” He went on to explain that even though Democrats do not agree with Republicans and vice-versa, each should be willing to accept some policy measure that each doesn’t like or agree with. The time-aged honored principle of “horse-trading.”

Town of Durham Seeks to Inspect Rentals

September 26, 2018December 7, 2011 Rick Olson

“College is a refuge from hasty judgment.” —Robert Frost

Owning rental property is a daunting endeavor. With ownership comes financial challenges, legal exposure, and responsibilities not traditionally endured with single family home ownership. Add to that facet renting to college students and the task becomes a head-snapping endeavor.

Years ago, I found myself dealing with twelve units of off-campus student housing in Durham New Hampshire. In my experience, I found the cards were stacked against me. The town of Durham has never taken the steps necessary to effectively deal with their rental housing market specifically how it interfaces between the college and the town. Much of what is in place is the knee-jerk reaction of the vocal few.

College students going off to college means this is their first time away from home. They are on their own and not under the wing or the rules of Mommy and Daddy. Living off campus means having, “ones’ own place” and celebrating that first breath of new-found independence. The problem is that independence can manifest it in ways that are not positive.

Romney Disagrees With Gingrich on Child Labor…Surprised?

September 26, 2018December 6, 2011 Rick Olson

“A charlatan makes obscure what is clear; a thinker makes clear what is obscure.” — Hugh Kingsmill

Willard "Mitt" Romney: The Matthew Lesko of American Politics

Last month, while speaking at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, presidential candidate New Gingrich drew the hue and cry of liberals everywhere when he suggested that children can learn the value of a paycheck by maintaining their own buildings.

On the face of it, I was perplexed why people were so up-in-arms about Gingrich’s suggestion. But then as I read on, I understood what the real issue was. Newt also said,

“Most of these schools ought to get rid of the unionized janitors, have one master janitor, and pay local students to take care of the school,”

Read more

Professional Licensure: To Eliminate Or Expand?

September 26, 2018December 5, 2011 Rick Olson

“None can love freedom but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license, which never hath more scope than under tyrants.” —John Milton

The Union Leaders‘ opposite editorial page give Erica Bickford, a licensed massage therapist from Wolfeboro, ink today not only arguing against House Bill 446, but actually advocating for its’ defeat.

To advocate for licensure on the basis of public health interest is a separate matter from seeking governmental force in protecting an exclusive business interest. Bickford queries, “Would you allow your children to cut your hair?” Actually, there are many people out there cutting hair in kitchens with scissors and clippers purchased at Walmart or Target none of whom have ever enrolled in a 1,500-hour cosmetology or barbering program. And that has always been the case. Erica then asks, Would you allow an untrained person help you recover from an athletic injury? There are people out there telling others to rest, apply ice, compression and elevation who have never taken a sports medicine class or sat for a licensing exam. Unlicensed mediators currently exist largely as clergy and lay ministers who rarely extract a fee to counsel their parishioners.

“Not Our Fault, ” Says PSNH CEO Gary Long

September 26, 2018December 2, 2011 Rick Olson

“An excuse becomes an obstacle in your journey to success when it is made in place of your best effort or when it is used as the object of the blame.” —Bo Bennett

Wednesday, Public Service of New Hampshire President Gary Long went before The Governor and Executive Council and members of the Public Utilities Commission and shamelessly defended PSNH’s dismal response to the Halloween Snow storm that left thousands without power.

As conveyed in the Union Leader story yesterday, Long blamed the weather and trees, not PSNH and told the council he was, “quite proud of PSNH’s tremendous efforts,” calling the storm response “a success story.” Long took no responsibility. He even went so far as to blame customers, saying that all of the outages were caused by trees, most of which are were, outside the trim zone, fingering state laws for he says makes it hard to trim the trees. He blamed the rate payer for, “not being adequately prepared.”

The Shrill Kathy And The Birthers

September 26, 2018November 29, 2011 Rick Olson

“We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid.” —Benjamin Franklin

Kathy Sullivan is not only dishonest, but she is also a rank charlatan. The Shrill Kathy is the epitome of moral bankruptcy when it comes to New Hampshire politics. In the UL today she quips, Why does Speaker O’Brien not call out his birthers? placing responsibility for the less than savory behavior of a few legislators squarely on his shoulders. So, let’s be clear about this because whatever “this” is, amounts to nothing more than another wanton pedestrian rant of the Shrill Kathy.

In prior writings, The Shrill Kathy calls out O’Brien alleging that he fails to respect the process and ignores long-standing rules. Yet here we see a circumstance where Orly Taitz asked for access and redress (due process) that our rules mandate must be provided. And the Shrill Kathy takes O’Brien to task for not stifling that process. Make up your mind! Sulli-Shrill… Which is it? O’Brien squelches? or O’Brien observes?

Inebriated William Jasmin Who Fell Out Of A Tree Stand Drops His Lawsuit

September 26, 2018November 21, 2011 Rick Olson

“A lawsuit is a fruit tree planted in a lawyer’s garden.” —Italian Proverb

William Jasmin of Manchester, the drunk, non-licensed hunter who sued a landowner following his own demise in falling from a tree stand, has dropped his lawsuit.

Jasmin suffered partial paralysis when the tree stand he attempted to enter failed, causing him to fall. Jasmin initially proffered in his original pleadings that he was “hunting” but in August amended his pleadings to assert that he was, “scouting.” while present on the land owned by Charlie Corliss, of Epsom,

Jasmin friend Randy Howe had said Corliss had given them permission to use the tree stand, however, Jasmin’s lawyer now asserts the friend had spoke to someone else who mistakenly believed it was on his property.

This very case stirred concerns and tensions within the hunting community that farmers, foresters and other large landowners might potentially close their property to hunting and other recreational uses, for fear they could be potentially held liable for recreational injuries.

Jasmin’s lawyer B.J. Branch, told The Associated Press, “this suit was never about access to land; The suit was about holding the owner of a defective product accountable.” Baloney! This suit was about William Jasmin finding the deepest possible pockets to compensate him for his own failures to act responsibly, ethically and within the laws of this state. And, while doing this, he was willing and ready to throw the entire hunting community under the bus. Eighty percent of all available hunting land is private property in New Hampshire. Clearly, this lawsuit became about access.

National Right to Carry And Its’ Opponents From Within

September 26, 2018November 17, 2011 Rick Olson

“Much of the self-righteous nonsense that abounds on so many subjects cannot stand up to three questions: (1) Compared to what? (2) At what cost? and (3) What are the hard facts?” —Thomas Sowell

The Union Leader’s Mark Hayward features a front page story today entitled, “Activists: Feds’ bill would lead to gun control“. The thesis of Hayward’s article is that two activist are against the bill because it gives the federal government a toe-hold into states’ rights and is a pretext to arbitrary national gun control.

The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, HB 822, passed in the U.S. House yesterday and enjoyed strong support. The intent of this legislation is to allow law-abiding citizens with a concealed-carry permit in one state to carry concealed in states with similar systems. Obviously, the bill must have some strong support because Charlie “the RINO” Bass is a co-sponsor.

Yet my good friend and esteemed fellow gun advocate Representative J.R. Hoell opposes the bill. J.R. asserts, “The federal government will then want a photo ID for concealed- carry. Then a microchip Real ID card.” J.R, the feds already want that, irrespective of “how” or “who” regulates guns. And numerous attempts at nationalizing gun registration, gun control, microstamping of ammunition, suing gunmakers, the assault weapons ban and any other novel, unique or creative trick, dreamed up by the pablum-puking, ant-gun liberals has already dawned within the halls of our congress…irrespective of this legislation.

Colleges and Guns

September 26, 2018November 16, 2011 Rick Olson

“A woman who demands further gun control legislation is like a chicken who roots for Colonel Sanders.” —Larry Elder

House Bill 334 will now go to the full floor for a vote. New Hampshire’s colleges currently set their own policies on possession of guns. Currently they all ban them. HB 334, sponsored by Mark Proulx, R-Manchester would bring such regulatory reach back into the purview of State authority. Now the colleges push back.

As reported in the Union Leader, Security personnel from the Granite States’ colleges and universities, wrote emphasizing “dangers in eliminating academia’s ability to ban gun possession on a college campus,” they wrote. “Thousands of young people attend New Hampshire’s colleges, sharing close quarters in residential, social, academic and other group activities. At this age, judgment and behaviors are still being developed and tested.” Interesting. So on the one hand, these institutions hold themselves out to be the first foray into the adult world where a kid can go to college and ply ones’ self with “adult” libations, voting, living, working, and all the other thumbnail trappings of adult life….But on the other hand, when it comes to guns, we will still be the mommy and daddy.