foiled terror plot cont.

I'm hearing on the oversaturated newscoverage of the foiled terror plot that people quickly adapted to the new rules. To this I say: "Freedom is in no greater danger than when people quickly adapt to government instruction"

foiled terror plot

Well, I'm sure you've all heard by now of the terror plot foiled in the UK. I don't have much to say on this topic except I don't believe a terror plot existed. Things have been fairly quiet on that front for a while and it is a well known fact that in order for a government to keep its subjects under its thumb and willing to bend over on demand they have to be kept frightened. This "terror plot" while quite disturbing if true will surely go a long way toward accomplishing that goal.

Pawtucket street sweeping.

Pawtucket, RI does street sweeping on Fridays. This started a few years ago, and what it means is that from 8AM - 3PM every Friday from April to November your car has to be off the street or it will be ticketed. Well.......this is fucking bullshit. 1. The street sweepers do NOTHING. They swirl the dirt, that's it. 2. Nobody asked for this to be done, the city decided on its own that this would be a great idea. Of course the assholes pass it off as making the city cleaner, when the truth is it's a revenue generator. It's too bad the average citizen is so desensitized to government abuse that they hardly notice when asked to bend over. 3. It's a huge pain in the ass. I'm lucky, I live in a neighborhood where everyone has a driveway, and it's not a huge inconvenience to put our cars off the street. However, there are plenty of people who really don't have a place to keep their cars. This is just not fair. I know of someone who works 3rd shift and would like to come home and go to bed, but on Friday's he has to stay awake waiting for the street sweeper so he can move the car before he's ticketed. 4. When they started this program their was overwhelming complaints from the residents, yet the program stayed in place. The government works for YOU. Let me repeat that the government works for YOU. Or at least it's supposed to. When the govt. sets up an unnecessary program that is met with an overwhelming backlash, the response in a free country would be to drop the program to satisfy the citizens(ostensibly, the government's employer). But when the government inconveniences it's citizens and ignores their complaints to keep in place a program that helps no one but the officials collecting the ticket revenue we have crossed the line to fascism. I feel that line in America was crossed years ago. This is why I won't stand up for the National Anthem or God Bless America when it's played at a ballgame. Before you criticize me, let me say I love America. But to me America is not the dirt under our feet, or the body of legislators that makes up the government it is an abstract idea. America is principles and ideals. It is the belief that all men are created equal and free to live in liberty and to pursue their happiness. Unfortunately, the people who run our country don't see it that way. Sure, they give the proper lip service to rhetoric about protecting liberty. But it's all bullshit. They don't care about freedom, at least not your and mine. They care about controlling us, collecting our money, telling us how to live our life and putting you in jail if you refuse to toe the line. The city of Pawtucket, Rhode Island with their streetsweeping policy is now a police state.

Collin Finnerty, 19, appeared in D.C. Superior Court for a hearing in which a judge determined he had violated the conditions of a diversion program he entered after being charged in a November assault in Georgetown. The charges would have been dismissed under the terms of the diversion program once Finnerty completed 25 hours of community service, but the terms also required he not commit any criminal offenses. Correct me if I'm wrong but until he is convicted he has not commited any criminal offenses under the terms of the program. How is it that the state is going to try him for the assault case on the grounds he violated the terms of the diversionary program before the rape case is concluded. Must I remind everyone that the job DA Nifong has done here is not only incompetent but borderline malicious towards the Duke players. There is no DNA, a witness who is selling her testimony to the highest bidder, search warrants executed AFTER the indictment, photos placing the accused somewhere else at the time of the crime and a not very credible complaining witness.

Sheehan arrested at State of the Union

Cindy Sheehan had a ticket to the State of the Union address and was pulled from her seat and arrested, for an as yet undisclosed "disturbance". The facts are not all out yet, but I will almost guarantee this was a matter of the leader of the free world saying he did not want someone who has been so vocal in her criticism of him to be at his speech and ordered her arrest in the mold of some of history's greatest dictators. UPDATE: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060201/ap_on_go_co/state_of_union_sheehan I am pleased they apologized......but does anyone doubt the order was to get her out of the building using any means possible and then just drop the charges and apologize later. I'm sure this approach was preferable than the potential embarrassment to Bush to have a dissenter anywhere near him. Can't have him made aware of the fact there are some people who don't like him.

I'm proud

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060103/ap_on_he_me/medical_marijuana Doesn't happen often, but today I'm proud to be a Rhode Islander. Rhode Island on Tuesday became the 11th state to legalize medical marijuana and the first since the U.S. Supreme Courtruled in June that patients who use the drug can still be prosecuted under federal law. The House overrode a veto by Gov. Don Carcieri, To veto such a law is the same as saying you enjoy human suffering and it gives you pleasure to inflict pain and misery of the worst kind on your fellow humans, and in the case of a public official, on the very people that employ you.

Week 17 picks

Last week of picking regular season games. Always depressing, as I love regular season NFL Sundays and miss them when they're gone. Broncos at Chargers: SD is eliminated from playoff contention, while this is a tuneup for Denver. The loser will be the team that wants to be there the least. I say that's SD, who will have a bitter taste in their mouths and just want the year over. Bronocs 28-14 Giants at Raiders: The Giants should win this game, and with the NFC East still in doubt, they have something to play for. Oakland gave up on this season weeks ago. Giants 31-17 Bengals at Chiefs: Interesting game, and one of the most important of the week. Cincy is coming off a brutal loss and would really like and need to get into the playoffs on a high note. KC kept their hopes alive last week and get to play at home. The Cincinnati defense has yet to assert themselves, don't look for them to do it this week. Chiefs 35-24 Bills at Jets: Huge win for Buffalo, whom I thought had mailed it in weeks ago, over the Bengals. Don't expect a repeat. NY takes themselves out of the Reggie Bush sweepstakes. Jets 23-17 Panthers at Falcons: Michael Vick in the Pro Bowl? Why? Atlanta has got to be one of the 3 biggest disappointments of the year, along with the Eagles and, in my opinion, the Cardinals. Panthers 24-17 Cardinals at Colts: Will Indy lost 3 in a row to close the season? I don't think so. Colts 35-17 Ravens at Browns: Baltimore has come on a little toward the end. It was a little late, but it's always nice to end the season with a positive. Ravens 16-7 Lions at Steelers: Pittsburgh at home, in a must win, against the most pathetic franchise in the NFL. Anyone smell upset? Yeah, me either. Steelers 27-10 Saints at Buccaneers: New Orleans wraps up one of the most strenuous seasons in NFL history, but not on a high note. Buccaneers 26-7 Dolphins at Patriots: Miami has won 5 in a row, and will be a contender next year. NE has nothing to play for. Last year, in a similar circumstance, Miami shocked NE. Miami is better now than last year. An upset is a possibility but I just don't see Belichick letting that happen. Patriots 21-14 Seahawks at Packers: Intersting game to pick. Seattle has wrapped up the #1 seed. GB wraps up their most miserable season since the '80's. Holmgren returns to Lambeau for what could be Favre's last game. The Pack is actually favored. Seahawks 20-17 Texans at 49ers: Would've been more interesting if both teams had 2 wins. How do you pick a game where everyone wants to lose? Texans 10-9 Titans at Jaguars: Look for Jax to play with more emotion than anyone else who has already wrapped up a playoff spot. It's been 6 years since their last postseason appearance, they think they could be tough, they want to send a message, and they need to get Leftwich some meaningful work. Jaguars 24-10 Bears at Vikings: About 3 weeks ago, this looked like it might be for the division. Disappointing finish for Minnesota after their 6 game win streak. Bears 19-13 Redskins at Eagles: Washington is playing for the postseason, Philly wants to forget this year ever happened. Redskins 28-13 Rams at Cowboys: Dallas' fate might be decided before they play Sunday night. Cowboys 20-17 if they are still alive, Rams 24-20 if Dallas has been eliminated.

Sun Belt officials

Did anyone see the Alamo Bowl last night with Michigan and Nebraska? First, of all that was an excellent game with one of the most exciting finishes I've seen. Had that final play resulted in a touchdown it would have surpassed Cal-Stanford for the craziest single play in CFB history. Now for the bad.....what the hell was that officiating crew doing working a game of that magnitude played between teams of the talent level of Michigan and Nebraska. To say the least that crew was incompetent. They were unable to keep up with the speed of the players, at times seemed like they weren't clear on basic rules and made several glaring mistakes. Not to mention the replay jackass who cost Michigan 2 timeouts. What the hell was he doing up there? A close play at a pivotal point in a big game is the reason we have replay. Why wasn't he asking for a review before Michigan had to waste timeouts they could've used at the end. Here's a short list of mistakes: Making Michigan waste 2 timeouts Letting 10 seconds run off before starting the clock when Nebraska had the ball with less than a minute to go. Not knowing the halo rule was taken out of the game a few years ago. Spotting the ball for a FG attempt on the wrong hashmark after a delay for a review. Being way too slow to blow the whistle resulting in chaos and a few unneccesary hits.