Skip, Author at Granite Grok

Quick Thought – What’s the Ramifications of Building Less/Owning Less?

January 17, 2023 Skip

Yep, Treehugger time again. This time, Lloyd asks the “hoisted on his own architecture petard” question (reformatted, emphasis mine): Can Architects Survive in a World Where We Have to Build Less? The key to green building is to use less stuff. In a recent post on the subject, I quoted engineer Scott Brookes’ answer when asked how … Read more

Sheila Jackson Lee Flicker US Customers and Border Protection Glenn Fawcett 29568172152_3afd26e99a_c

OK, So US House Rep Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) is BARELY Smarter Than Her Voters.

May 30, 2026January 17, 2023 Skip

Otherwise, She’s Right There with Rocks. Is that Enough to Convict Me of “Hate Speech Towards Minorities”? And I’m betting that bringing up US Rep Hank Johnson’s utterance that putting all the US Military on one end of Guam would make it tip over would be hate speech as well? And don’t get me started … Read more

It’s ALWAYS About Democrats Keeping YOUR Money – Law Doesn’t Matter. Bait and Switch, Baby!

January 17, 2023 Skip

Taxpayer Bill of Rights in Colorado was supposed to keep taxpayers safe from ravenous politicians. And the shysters even went along with it – while campaigning. AFTER the campaign, the true colors came out – emphasis mine, reformatted Last year, Colorado Democrats championed TABOR refunds as they campaigned for reelection. Yet not a week into … Read more

quote-but-it-crony-capitalism-erodes-our-overall-standard-of-living-and-stifles-entrepreneurs-charles-koch-72-20-80-980205690 AZ Quotes

Notable Quote – Crony Capitalism: Both Loved and Berated

January 16, 2023 Skip

There are, of course, business organizations that do benefit from the power to restrict entry and competition. This power, however, is not a function of product differentiation, or of advertising, or of the “technostructure,” or of market concentration, but is a function of explicit favors and privileges obtained from government. The sole source of the … Read more

Data Point – How Secure IS Your Password(s)?

January 16, 2023 Skip

My “regular” formats are in 400+ million to 2 trillion years (rightmost column). And I rotate them. Your’s? (H/T Reddit)

GOP Elitists Joe Sweeney, Joe Alexander and Ross Berry Haven’t Figured Out to Not Help the Democrats Dig a Hole

January 15, 2023 Skip

What a way to NOT provide a contrast. What were these three erstwhile “NH GOP Elitists” thinking? From a tactical and strategic standpoint, none of you should have opened your mouths.

So the Dems want to lower the Voting Age (Again) to 16?

January 15, 2023 Skip

This is yet more information for we Normal folks that the Left (re: Democrats) can’t stand the idea of losing any Power that voters take away from them as a result of elections. Thus, they are all in for idea that the British Labour Party started in on: change the electorate. Two mainstays of this … Read more

Data Point – Value of US Dollar 1913 – 2022

January 14, 2023 Skip

December 23, 1913 was the founding of the Federal Reserve. Here are the results so far … US dollar purchasing power down 97% (click to embiggen)

Palate Cleanser – How to Beat Arcades with Mark Roper Engineering!

January 14, 2023 Skip

Some people go to arcades to waste some time and have some fun. Others are deadly serious in that they want to win hundreds (if not thousands) of “tickets” to trade in for crappy prizes at “the counter” when your time in the arcade is done (Mom, Dad, Grammy, Grandpa are threatening to leave you … Read more

By Their Vote, Chris Pappas and Annie Kuster Tell Us They Hate Churches and Pro-Life Centers

January 14, 2023 Skip

So, is part of your “RESIST” schtick, Chris Pappas? And is that mask hiding a broad smile, Annie Kuster? Leading up to and after the SCOTUS Dobb’s decision (that corrected the wrong decision that abortion was not part of the Constitution), there were a lot of attacks on churches and pro-life/pregnancy care establishments, many by … Read more

Democrat PAC Citizens for Belknap Finished Its Take over of the Belknap County Republicans – Part 2

January 13, 2023 Skip

Well, this was more interesting than I thought it would have been. I figured that my previous post would have been a “capper” as in “the closing of a chapter”; write it, be done with it. I was wrong. A number of emails have come in over this but one came in that really showed the … Read more

All These Republican Congressional Bills Are for Show – We’ve Seen This One Act Pony Before

January 13, 2023 Skip

Retract the funding for the 187,000 new IRS agents. Voting to repeal the IRS with the Fair Tax. Restricting sales of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to China et al. Impeach Alejandro Mayorkas, Homeland Secretary, Build the Wall. Prohibit voluntary contributions to the WHO. Whole bunches of other stuff. Meaningless drivel. No, not that they aren’t … Read more

Blogline of the Day – Pronoun People

January 13, 2023 Skip

When everything went to hell in Florida after Hurricane Ian, I didn’t see a lot of Priuses, windmills, or social justice warriors coming to save the day. I saw diesel trucks, combustion generators, heavy tractors, fuel tankers and a whole lotta bearded good ol’ boys putting some of that “toxic masculinity” to work saving lives … Read more

It’s Town Meeting Time Again in NH – Of COURSE, There are Those That Wish to Cancel Budget Committees

January 14, 2023January 13, 2023 Skip

It’s almost March – the main month in which Town Meetings take place and the voters decide how their towns will be operating the rest of the year. Every single year, starting about now I get a couple of these “Petition Warrants” to be put on the Town Warrant. The latter usage of “warrant” is … Read more

Data Point – What, No Ratings for Engineers?

January 13, 2023 Skip

I feel left out. I am betting, however, that Congresscritters WISHED they had been left out as in their case, there is no lipstick on their rating-pig possible: (H/T: CNSNews)

Mark Alexander Second Amendment break our spirit and devotion to Liberty Liberal Logic 101

Second Amendment Happy Ending – Thrice!

January 12, 2023 Skip

Twenty five States have now become Constitutional Carry States. More are “shall issue” States – unless otherwise adjudicated to be a “prohibited person”, Government MUST allow you to exercise your Second Amendment Right. And this bad guy found out that when more people CAN, they WILL (emphasis mine): THERE ARE SOME PARTS OF GEORGIA THAT … Read more

Democrat PAC Citizens for Belknap Finished Its Take over of the Belknap County Republicans

January 12, 2023 Skip

Well done! While I was at the Selectmen’s meeting last night, the Belknap County Republican Committee held its January meeting and all went according to Gary Kiedaisch / Democrat Brian Biehl’s plans, In a standing-room-only crowd at the Gilford Library of about 16 people, as expected, Gregg Hough was elected chair, Doug Lambert (awaiting two … Read more

Does a Town Have the Right to Determine Its Own “Character”?

January 12, 2023 Skip

Last night I went to the Selectmen’s meeting at the urging of a couple of friends. We live in a “resort” town on Lake Winnipesaukee and it seems that our village has, these last two years, been overrun by out-of-town corporations buying up homes by the dozens.

Ted Cruz US Senate Screen Grab The Hill.com video

US Senator Ted Cruz Takes a Young Yale Wokester Woman to Task after She Calls Him a Racist – Just Not Quite the Way You Might Think.

January 10, 2023January 9, 2023 Skip

Far be it for me to speak in defense of Senator Cruz. He does quite well on his own in this case:

Notable Quote – Even When “For Goodness”, Government MUST Always Be Restricted

January 8, 2023 Skip

Unless we are willing to restrict the powers of government even in respects where it might be used for good purposes, we shall not succeed in preventing an indefinite growth of government powers. To allow everything which seems expedient for the achievement of a desirable end is to dispense with all moral principles. The submission … Read more