Hate The Patriot Act? Think The TSA Should Be Disbanded? You Can Stop It

A four-year extension of the Patriot Act is set to expire this Friday unless the Senate debates, passes and gets it signed by President Obama by Friday.


It only takes one Senator to stall this legislation, and we have two at our disposal: Udall and Bennett.


Why should Congress scrap this legislation? Because it is in direct violation of the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution, and does NOT enhance your or my safety. As Benjamin Franklin said, "They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."

The Beauty Of Decline | Detroit

Michigan Central Train Station, Detroit

The above photo tour is reminiscent of many former civilizations: Egypt, Greece, Rome... It's quite striking to actually be alive during the decline of an empire...

James Delingpole | Genius In One Paragraph

It's a rare thing to find someone who can succinctly describe the problems of a society in one paragraph, but British subject James Delingpole does so with aplomb in this missive about Obama's visit to Ireland:

"I’ve argued before that Tony Blair and Barack Obama have an awful lot in common. Both are lawyers; both are snake-oil-salesman; both claim to be post-partisan, and Third Way and consensual; both play the acceptable, moderate-seeming public face of a regime chock full of Communists, class warriors, single issue rabble rousers, malcontents, communitarians and eco-loons hell bent on destroying every last vestige of what once made their country great. And both do (or did) the things dodgy political leaders always do when the going gets tough at home and their domestic audience finally wises up to how totally useless they are: they hop on the plane and pose as international statesman instead."

UPDATE | Winter Park Pizza Hut Closed Due To Economy

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It's official; Pizza Hut is out of business due to the economy. I had a nice conversation with owner Randy Barrett, and he said they just couldn't keep bleeding the way they were any longer.

Pizza Hut has been in business for 32 years--23 of which he's been the owner. If Mr. Barrett can't make it, after having gone through some tough times before, that calls into question many of the other businesses in Winter Park and the rest of the county. 

Pizza Hut is a canary in the coal mine. It's time for people to wake up and realize that things have changed permanently, and we should stop being in denial about it.

Illegal Alien Begs President For More Free Money

In a story titled Undocumented Student Writes The President, Channel 7 describes how an illegal alien who just graduated high school has written President Obama asking for an exception:

"I'm the first to graduate from my family but being an undocumented student, I'm not able to get grants and scholarships because they're very limited and competitive," said Vasquez. "We don't get state or financial aid at all, because we don't qualify for it."

From Each According To His Ability, To Each According To His Need

Wouldn't it be great if every person in our society contributed to it to the best of their ability? And wouldn't it be wonderful if they only consumed from the rest of society in proportion to their own need?

This is what the healthcare bill has set out to do... Newt Gingrich says this about it: "People must be forced to buy or simply be given health insurance so they don’t free-ride on society." 

Sheriffs Out Of Control | Shoot First Make Excuses Later

Here are some headlines to get your juices flowing on this fine Sunday morning:

Attorney: SWAT raid found guns, body armor

Tucson SWAT team defends shooting Iraqi vet 60 times

Ind. Sheriff: If we need to conduct RANDOM HOUSE TO HOUSE searches, we will

The first two articles are regarding an early morning SWAT raid on a home of a suspected  drug dealer in Arizona. The homeowner, a two time Iraqi war veteran, was sleeping when he was alerted by his wife to an armed person outside her window. The neighborhood they lived in had recently been victim to a deadly home invasion, so he rightfully grabbed his gun and went to confront the intruder.

Spain? Isn't That In Europe?

For those of you who think that Grand County and Spain have nothing in common, think again.

Spain is currently sitting on a 22 percent unemployment rate because of--get this--the bursting of their housing bubble. Of all the European countries, Spain's real estate boom--and ensuing bust--was the biggest. European banking exposure to Spanish debt is probably the worst out of all of the PIIGS.

You Are The Only One Who Can Stop This

Sometimes You Just Need A Change In Perspective

Obama | Killing People In Sovereign Nations With Unmanned Drones Not War

war

noun /wôr/  wars, plural A state of armed conflict between different nations or states or different groups within a nation or state - Japan declared war on Germany - the two countries had been at war for six years A particular armed conflict - after the war, they emigrated to America A state of competition, conflict, or hostility between different people or groups - she was at war with her parents - a price war among discount retailers A sustained effort to deal with or end a particular unpleasant or undesirable situation or condition - the authorities are waging war against all forms of smuggling - a war on drugs

Winter Park Pizza Hut Out Of Business

Ever since I was a little kid, I've been going to the Pizza Hut in Winter Park. When I was about five years old, I use to be allowed to go behind the counter to grab handfuls of their signature peppermint candies after we'd eaten there. I've occasionally taken my own children in there to pass on the tradition. Those days are now over.

As of May 15th, owners Randy and Toni Barrett have shut its doors forever:

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I don't know if I can recall a time when I drove through Winter Park during normal business hours and didn't see the 'Open' sign lit up in the window.

I went to school with the Barrett's son, and have tried to contact them to see why they're going out of business. I'll let you know what I find out as soon as I can. I have a feeling the economy is beginning to take a real toll on many of the businesses in Grand County, but I wouldn't be surprised if the 8.9 percent tax imposed in the town of Winter Park didn't have a part to play here.

Good bye Pizza Hut and good luck to the Barretts--we'll miss you!

Ah The Hopes Of Dreamers | Or Where'd The Billion Dollars Go?

The year 2002 was something... We'd narrowly avoided a total collapse of the economy after the events on 9/11 after then Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan lowered short term rates to historical lows and set off inflating what would become the housing bubble. Over the next five years ensued a speculative mania in real estate that would dwarf any mania in human history; its bust initiating in the fall of 2007.

For anyone with a little bit of money, the year 2002 was ripe with possibilities. One of those visionaries was Jerry Jones, who's dream would turn into the now notorious Grand Elk development. Back then, the loose money policies of the Fed made it possible for anyone who could fog a mirror to sign on the dotted line for loans of just about any size.

Grand Lake Town Manager Calls Out District Leadership

Boy what a difference a couple of months makes. In February, when I penned How To Piss Off A County, I said this about what I saw coming to fruition:

 "If I were asked to develop a plan that would most effectively alienate and aggravate the largest number of people in Grand County, I'd be hard pressed to devise a better alternative to what has happened over the last couple of months.

Divide and conquer is a powerful weapon... one which is inadvertently being used to great effect by the leadership of both the East Grand School district, and representatives of the towns and county.

Prepare for school closures, and get ready for the fallout folks."

Do My Eyes Deceive Me? Jimmy Lahrman Speaks Up

I've always felt keeping silent can do far more damage than speaking out. Only by stating where we stand may others know where to find us. Today, I know where to find Winter Park Town Councilman Jimmy Lahrman. He's standing in nearly the same spot I am.

In a letter to the Sky Hi News, Mr. Lahrman says this about the current leadership at the East Grand School District:

Paging Senators Bennet And Udall | War Powers Act

Today officially marks the 60th day since the United States went to war with Libya--yet President Obama has not asked for or received approval from Congress as required by the 1973 War Powers Act.

Unless the White House asks for, and receives, approval from Congress, the President must cease operations within 30 days from today. Period.

I've put in a phone call to the offices of both Senator Bennet and Udall to ask about their stance on the matter, and if they plan to query the White House about this pressing issue. The assistant in Bennet's office offered to query the Senator and get back with me. Udall's office offered to pass on my comments.

If you'd like to do the same, you may call Senator Bennet's office in Grand Junction at (970) 241-6631. Senator Udall may be contacted in his Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-5941

Real ID | As Unconstitutional As TSA

Florida Libertarian Party Chair Adrian Wyllie approaches his argument from a rational, mature standpoint. He will not submit to the requirements of the Real ID act because it violates his 4th Amendment prohibition against unusual search and seizure.

Colorado, rightly, has already refused to implement this blatantly illegal act. Florida has not done so, and it is up to citizens to exercise their right by refusing to submit to its requirements.

Recession Back In The Headlines

We've most likely entered another recession, but it will be a while before it is recognized as such by the mainstream news media. Here are some headlines foretelling of the slowdown:

ECRI Says Global Slowdown Will Hit This Summer (Mish)

Bring Out QE3: Philly Fed Plummets: Prints at 3.9 On Expectations Of 20 (Zero Hedge)

Here It Comes... RECESSION WARNING (Market Ticker)

Weekly Claims See Fall, But Jobs Picture Remains Weak (CNBC)

You Got To Keep Your Taxes | Now Come Pick Up Your Trash

Today on Cranmer in Meadow Ridge:

This must not be your neighborhood since you never came and picked up your trash.

Setting Things Right | How To Fix The Problems In Our World

From the Google Dictionary:

mor·al

noun /ˈmôrəl/  /ˈmär-/  morals, plural A lesson, esp. one concerning what is right or prudent, that can be derived from a story, a piece of information, or an experience - the moral of this story was that one must see the beauty in what one has A person's standards of behavior or beliefs concerning what is and is not acceptable for them to do - the corruption of public morals Standards of behavior that are considered good or acceptable - they believe addicts have no morals and cannot be trusted adjective /ˈmôrəl/  /ˈmär-/  Concerned with the principles of right and wrong behavior and the goodness or badness of human character - the moral dimensions of medical intervention - a moral judgment Concerned with or adhering to the code of interpersonal behavior that is considered right or acceptable in a particular society - an individual's ambitions may get out of step with the general moral code Holding or manifesting high principles for proper conduct - he is a caring, efficient, moral man Derived from or based on ethical principles or a sense of these - the moral obligation of society to do something about the inner city's problems Examining the nature of ethics and the foundations of good and bad character and conduct - moral philosophers

in·teg·ri·ty

noun /inˈtegritē/  The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness - he is known to be a man of integrity The state of being whole and undivided - upholding territorial integrity and national sovereignty The condition of being unified, unimpaired, or sound in construction - the structural integrity of the novel Internal consistency or lack of corruption in electronic data - integrity checking

Moral integrity is the bedrock upon which all human societies rest. Each society has stories that define its collective morals, and from them the integrity of each individual can be gauged. A society who's citizens and leaders routinely stray from these principles as a matter of course is a society in jeopardy.

Where, honestly, do you stand relative to our societal moral compass?