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.

THE ROAD TO HELL

“The only reason people get lost in thought is because it’s unfamiliar territory.” —Paul Fix In July of 2009, West park Florida in Broward County named its’ first street for President Barack Obama. After Obama was inaugurated, West Park Commissioners voted to rename Southwest 40th Avenue in his honor.  West park City Commissioner Tommy Dorsett … Read more

The Garbage Police

“Law, without force, is impotent.”  —Blaise Pascal

The City of Manchester, in its infinite wisdom, seeks to enact an anti-scavenging ordinance prohibiting the scavenging of recyclable items from curbside bins. Under the new measure, violators would be slapped with a fine.

 If this ordinance is enacted, the homeless and ‘ner-do wells’ who scavenge cans bottles and other such recyclable matter, perhaps to supplement their kids’ grocery bill, would be levied such fine. And/or the bums who cull bins, that they might purchase that jug of wine, would also be assessed a fine. Now, does anybody think the resource-challenged among us will pay? Picture Manchester Police officers writing the tickets…address? “Shopping cart under the bridge,”  all while rolling their eyes muttering, “yeah…right…enforce that ordinance…” Just feel the wind swirling off of the fenders of patrol cars speeding up and down Lake Ave in search of the law-breaking scavenger. After all, our Police Offiers have little better to do, right?

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MAGGIE “THE MARXIST” HASSAN IS RUNNING

“Ask anyone committed to Marxist analysis how many angels on the head of a pin, and you will be asked in return to never mind the angels, tell me who controls the production of pins.” ­—Joan Didion

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 Defeated Democratic state Senator Maggie Hassan made it official today that she will be running for governor in 2012. In her usual hokum, Hassan touted the typical big government solution to prop up the economy. As reported in the Union Leader, Maggie the Marxist, “stressed the need to create jobs by “investing” in education and job training programs and by fostering a business climate that attracts innovative small businesses and new technologies.” Translation: “investing” equals big-government spending and solutions…equals heavy taxation to raise such revenues. Such notions were brought with her as a carpet-bagging “massplant” to the Granite State. 

The Union Leader reported that “Maggie the Marxist” pledged to be a fiscally responsible governor who would veto any sales or income tax and commit herself to a balanced state budget.“  This is laughable given her extensive record as a State Senator.  My fellow Blogger Steve MacDonald absolutely nailed it on back October 5th when he wrote:

  Hassan is a left wing, government first, spend then tax Democrat who wants socialized medicine, supports abortion from conception to birth (also here), and was more than willing to trample on opponents with the “Sullivan/Hassan Hates Speech (the left can’t control) amendment.” (also here, and here, …)  She is also willing to lie about her opponents to get re-elected.

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KRISTIN TAKES THEM DOWN ONE BY ONE

“Liars are always ready to take oaths.” —Vittorio Alfieri

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Brendan Bisbee, love interest of the infamous shrew Kristin Ruggiero is presently on trial
answering to seven counts of Perjury where prosecutors allege he lied for Kristin during her trial. Also under indictment are Elizabeth “Kim” McDonald, Kristin’s mother, Daniel Ruggiero, Chief Petty Officer Jeffrey Ruggiero’s estranged brother and of course, Kristin has been re-indicted following her trial on twenty-one new counts consisting of witness tampering, four counts;  falsifying evidence, three counts;  Solicitation/Perjury, four counts;  Perjury, six counts and,  Unsworn Falsification, four counts. Shrew Kristin pal, Sharon Cohen who testified at trial, also faces legal exposure, but has yet to be indicted.

Aside from the obvious “Midas Touch: of sorts Kristin seems to possess, that is, those who get tangled up in Kristin’s web of manipulation would be well-served to have legal counsel retained. People who take up with Kristin inevitably face legal exposure.

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The Shrill Kathy Spins the Early Primary Notion

“I think it’s your own choice if you turn from an angry young man to a bitter, old bastard.” —Billie Joe Armstrong

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In yet another Cacophonous rant from the “Shrill Kathy” The Union Leader gave her space and ink yesterday to tell readers “why” a December primary will benefit Democrats and hurt Republicans. But, the title is about the only thing she got right and the remaining 782-word pablum was her usual diatribe against the opposition: Those with an “R” next to their names.

The “Shrill Kathy” suggests that “mere insistence” by Florida and Nevada are the mechanisms driving a December primary and makes no mention of the New Hampshire statute (N.H. RSA 659:3) which states in part, “The presidential primary election shall be held on the second Tuesday in March or on a date selected by the secretary of state which is seven days or more immediately preceding the date on which any other state shall hold a similar election, whichever is earlier … ” So Kathy…it is not “more likely” as you put it, but mandated by statute that the Granite State goes first.

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OCCUPY WALL STREET FOR DUMMIES

“In hindsight it may even seem inevitable that a socialist society will starve when it runs out of capitalists.”  —Larry Niven

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How does one become an Occupy Wall Street Protestor? A quest for understanding in a somewhat complicated topic. Why? Because there are some who seem to demonstrate a modicum of intelligence and articulate usage of the language when the camera is rolling. And, there are some who dress reasonably normal (normal meaning, no obvious hygiene challenges, maintaining a groomed appearance). Those folks are in the vast minority. And certainly it would not be an accurate statement to say these slackers are all “youth generational.” The camera has caught some old enough to be peers of my parents.

But the task at hand is an immediate one. How do I blend in? How do I become an OWS protestor. I suppose I should start with something superficial. Ah yes! you say, “Things aren’t always as they appear.” and how right one might be to make such a characterization. But any good leftist will tell you, honesty is a relative term. “Your views are your views.”  Kind of akin to calling people racists because they don’t like Obama… Yet, when it is pointed out that these same “racists” like Herman Cain, the argument shifts to, “you only like him because he gives your racism cover.” Rank dishonesty is the domain of the left. And outward appearance is what we first see from our friends in the lame stream media.

As a segue into my OWS protestor journey, I neither shave nor shower for an extended period of time. (if I wish to wholly embrace this slacker look, I don’t brush my teeth, either..If a casual observer spies a chive stuck in my teeth when I smile, I have arrived) It is important to engender that, “rail against the establishment” appearance. Smelling ones’ own smell, is sufficient validation one has achieved parity with the OWS appearance.

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OCCUPY “THE TAXPAYER WALLET?”

“Money is only a tool. It will take you wherever you wish, but it will not replace you as the driver.” —Ayn Rand Porta-potties…in a public park…”public” property.  Who is paying for them? Is it the Manchester Tax payers?  How come nobody will say? We can only assume authorization exists for them to be there, … Read more

RINO OF THE WEEK REPORT

“Remember that a government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take away everything you have.” ~Barry Goldwater This weeks RINO OF THE WEEK is 15-term Representative Phyllis M. Katsakiores, Rockingham District 5, Derry. I had to carefully mull over the choices because over the past months the blog … Read more

SHORT BUS ECONOMICS

“Imagine a political system so radical as to promise to move more of the poorest 20% of the population into the richest 20% than remain in the poorest bracket within the decade? You don’t need to imagine it. It’s called the United States of America.”  —Thomas Sowell The collective voice of “Occupy Wall Street” has … Read more

DOES THE GOVERNMENT HAVE YOU UNDER SURVEILLANCE?

“We are rapidly entering the age of no privacy, where everyone is open to surveillance at all times; where there are no secrets from government.” —Justice William O Douglas

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Perhaps some will read this and the knee-jerk reaction might be, “Oh, there goes one of those tin-foil-lined hat rants again…Like the government doesn’t have anything better to do than watch, “me.” Perhaps on some level, thinking of the government having citizens under surveillance harkens back to Soviet-style citizen oppression, much less being an inefficient and wasteful use of valuable resources.  This issue, however, focuses on the incidental happenstance of average citizens and the likelihood of being caught up in something few contemplate or even envision.

You’re watching the news and a story about bombs and explosives airs and part of the interview features some law enforcement mouthpiece claiming, “The bomb was constructed from instructions readily available on the internet…and materials bought at local hardware and home goods retailers…” You have never given thought about building a bomb, much less how to build one. So, being bored you grab your laptop and Google, “How to build a bomb” Sorting through the various hits the topic garners, you spend all of ten minutes searching and reading. All you really want to know is if the claims made have any credibility.

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RINO OF THE WEEK REPORT

        &nbsp  &nbsp “Remember that a government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take away everything you have.” ~Barry Goldwater The RINO of the week is House Representative Richard B. Drisko, Hillsborough District 5. Rep. Drisko’s voting record contains a few of the typical rank and file RINO votes such as … Read more

RHINO’S VERSUS “RINO’S”

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“A hypocrite is the kind of politician who would cut down a redwood tree, then mount the stump and make a speech for conservation.” —Adlai E. Stevenson

Following my recent RINO OF THE WEEK report, an amused reader and friend inquired, “Isn’t the RINO one of the world’s deadliest animals? Or is that the hippo…”

 Pondering this for a minute, I juxtaposed the question concerning the herbivorious, odd-toed ungulate native to Africa and parts of Asia: The “Rhinoceros”.  versus Political RINO’s….an acronym for, “Republican In Name Only,”.  

While “Rhinos” are related to the horse, zebra, and tapir; are known for their bad eyesight, good hearing, and mud-rolling. RINO’s, on the other hand are ambiguous about who they are related to…some show a Republican-leaning while others a full out leftist Democrat leaning. RINO-eyesight is through rose-colored glasses and instead of rolling in the mud, they sling mud. That sums it up for me, Nevertheless my response was as follows:

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KRISTIN RUGGIERO GOES TO THE SUPREME COURT

“Liars are always ready to take oaths.” —Vittorio Alfieri

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On Wednesday, September 21, The New Hampshire Supreme Court heard from Kristin Ruggiero. Kristin seeks to overturn her convictions arguing that the court should have excluded a photo of her cell phone number, and an intercepted telephone conversation that served as the evidence that brought her to her current demise.

Kristin Ruggiero was sent to Jail in May of 2010, convicted of twelve counts consisting of lying and falsifying physical evidence. Kristin had tried to do what many before her have done and gotten away with: Using the court system to exact a personal vendetta against her ex-husband Jeffrey Ruggiero.

In oral arguments before the Court, Attorney Mark L. Sisti argued that the evidence used to convict Kristin should have been thrown out because it was disqualified under N.H. RSA 570-A:6 because in New Hampshire, her consent was not obtained by the parties in South Carolina to make the intercept.  New Hampshire commonly referred to as a, “two party” state, requires consent of all parties before any recording may be made, while South Carolina does not. Sisti concedes that, while no crime may have been committed by the recording because the interception took place in South Carolina, A New Hampshire resident still has the expectation of privacy under the statute, and the evidence should have been excluded. Sisti essentially argues for an absolute long-arm immunity without consideration to laws of extra-territorial consequence. (Listen to the arguments HERE).

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The Red Herring Of Granite State Gambling

“I don’t gamble, because winning a hundred dollars doesn’t give me great pleasure. But losing a hundred dollars pisses me off.” — Alex Trebek

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 Back in the early 90’s while attending college at night, I took an elective course called Public Policy. At that time, I was a staunch advocate for expanded gaming in the Granite State.  “Put a couple of Casinos up around Breton Woods and the North Country!” I made all the usual pro-gambling arguments we see here today. Since that time, I have changed my position. I am against expanded gambling in New Hampshire now, but for the very narrowest of reasons, chiefly, that we are all being lied to.  

Conditions in the late 80’s and early 90’s were excellent to consider and adopt expanded gambling in the Granite State. Now it is not.  New Hampshire missed the boat on this big opportunity and the reasoning for the push now is faulty. One simply cannot advocate for something simply because Massachusetts is doing it. That logic fails right out of the gate. There is a shared sentiment in the Granite State that if Massachusetts does it, New Hampshire ought not to.

 The reason for the change of mind is not only simple, but quite logical. In the 80’s and 90’s there were far fewer gambling venues for Granite Staters to enjoy. Casino Gambling meant taking a trip to Atlantic City, Las Vegas or Down to Connecticut. However,  Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 literally saturated the gambling market with options. Since then, Rhode Island, Maine and Connecticut have jumped on board and now offer venues.  The market is saturated. More casinos means less revenue for all as each one fights and lobbies for those dollars.

 For years, I have watched busloads of seasoned citizens leave New Hampshire for Casino destinations. Now pro-gambling advocates warn that a Bay State Plan could siphon off Granite State gambling revenues. Well, not so much…dollars already leave the state “en mass” so in reality we have been losing this revenue all along….and now it is a big issue?  

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Jeanne Shaheen: “Porking” Those Tax Increases Down Our Throats

  “If Thomas Jefferson thought taxation without representation was bad, he should see how it is with representation …” —Rush Limbaugh

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Today’s Union Leader Editorial, entitled, “Free Cops!” points once again to the ills of  having a big-government Democrat like Jeanne Shaheen serving the Granite State in the U.S. Senate. Like her liberal counterpart, former Congressperson Carol Shea-Porter,  Shaheen brings home the bacon … To wit: a $1.4 million federal grant to pay for six new police officers;  Providing four for Manchester and one each for Pelham and Claremont.

Not a new scheme at all. During the Clinton years we see how well it worked here in the Queen city the last time the Federal Nanny doled out money for cops. And as always, there is an end on the horizon for that funding which only segues the bitter fiscal fight also on the horizon.  Police administrators, Union hacks and those in city government with a shameless fealty for tax and spend policies to keep those positions, will seek to have them funded on the backs of local taxpayers. Epic Fail. This latest grant is a mere redux of the same scheme.

Senator Shaheen is the epitome a big-government liberal. She does not respect local government, nor the people who elected her. This is a clear second example of such in just a few short months where Shaheen advocated for the Feds to contract locally with Planned Parenthood in the wake of the Executive Council’s vote not to fund Planned Parenthood services in the Granite State. Now she gives Manchester government a back-handed slap.  

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Obama’s Economy…

 “The first lesson of economics is scarcity: There is never enough of anything to satisfy all those who want it. The first lesson of politics is to disregard the first lesson of economics.” —Thomas Sowell                       

RINO OF THE WEEK REPORT

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“Remember that a government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take away everything you have.” ~Barry Goldwater

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This week’s Rino of the Week Report is two days overdue. We have now moved into that area of RINO-dom where we are now looking at “RINO-esque” house votes versus overall house vote performance. Prior RINO-of-the Week selections were pretty clear.  Republicans adhering to the part platform were very easy to distinguish from those who ran as Republicans, yet vote consistently with liberals. Now we are in that area where the constituents must decide if the Rep voted “RINO? of if the Rep is a RINO overall. At any rate, ROTW will continue to decide who the RINO is for the present week and the constituents can decide the rest.

In this next shade of the RINO Report, we now examine some house members whose records may show adherence to the party platform, but go off the reservation on key social and fiscal issues like the budget, parental notification or important gun and self-defense bills. Those Republicans we will now focus on.

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William Jasmin: Alcohol Level Was .16 When He Fell

“Actually, it only takes one drink to get me loaded. Trouble is, I can’t remember if it’s the thirteenth or fourteenth.”—George Burns

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William Jasmin of Manchester is suing Charlie Corliss of Epsom where he suffered from injuries sustained when he fell from a tree stand on Corliss’ property, first alleged that he was, “hunting”.  Jasmin seeks to recover injury compensation from Corliss through a lawsuit.

 This suit has drawn the ire of the hunting community upon discovering that Jasmin had no hunting license and had been drinking beer when the fall occurred. Jasmine’s attorney acknowledged that Jasmin had been drinking on the day of the accident but told the Concord Monitor that,  “(Jasmin) had only consumed one 16-ounce Pabst Blue Ribbon beer and was at or below the legal limit for intoxication.”  He also told the Monitor that because of Jasmin’s serious blood loss, the blood alcohol test may not have been accurate.”

 However, court documents filed by Corliss’ Lawyer, Mark Mallory charge that, “Medical records from Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center some three hours after the accident indicate that Mr. Jasmin has a .16 blood alcohol level …” .16? Three hours later?

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RINO OF THE WEEK REPORT

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“Remember that a government big enough to give you everything you want is also big enough to take away everything you have.” ~Barry Goldwater

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THE RINO OF THE WEEK is two-term House Representative Timothy D. Copeland.  Representative Copeland not only has a RINO voting record, but openly embodies pro-Union positions. Copeland not only voted against right to work,  But resigned his House whip position when the speaker reshuffled the leadership based on RINOism. Representative Copeland has voted consistently against two core liberty issues: Legislation pertaining to self-defense and firearms and voted against the passage of HB 474, commonly known as the “Right-to-Work Bill.  Like that of his RINO Counterparts, Representative Copeland is also an enthusiastic advocate of police-statism is ranked by the New Hampshire House Republican Alliance with a score of 67%.

  • Voted against HB 125 a law that would support the right of the Granite State to regulate firearms within its sovereign borders as a state;

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“REPUBLICANS” WHO OPPOSE RIGHT TO WORK THINK ONLY OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR PALS

“A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes”—Mark Twain

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Reading Steve MacDonald’s entry, “You Can’t Be A Republican And Vote Against Right To Work“…caused me to once again step back and reevaluate the public debate about Right-to-Work. I opened House Bill 474 and carefully read it again…and again…I could find no provision within the Legislation that abolished Unions. I read it yet again…. I could find no provision within the Bill that restricted, outlawed or otherwise “busted” Unions. Not one.

Several reasons brought me to revisit this. First, there seem to be many Republicans who fancy themselves “liberty-minded conservatives yet they support statutory Union oppression; Second, The strident opposition, bad behavior, swearing and threatening by Police and Fire over this bill has created a loss of confidence and apprehension within the communities they serve. Finally, What Unions say about this bill is absolute nonsense and nothing more than bold-faced lies.

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