Taconic DSL
It seems in or around 1935 a patent was granted that made hemp paper cheaper to produce than wood-pulp paper. Within a year or so of that date a diesel fuel derived from hempseed oil also gained an official United States Patent. The good citizens who ran the lumber companies and chemical and oil companies got together and looked at what these patents might mean to their continuing commercial success, so they . . . discovered that hemp had an evil twin called "marihuana" and they used a fast-paced switch and shuffle to kill hemp as a crop or commercial raw material, protecting their profits and employees.
Why don't they march the feds into Alaska to stop those Americans from smoking the herb? Alaska isn't a threat to the constituency they're protecting. They don't care about marijuana; they care a great deal about hemp as a crop and what would happen to their cronies if the ban were lifted. They don't care about crops in closets in Alaska, but they are terrified into their bones of the picture of waving fields of hemp, purifying the air above Kansas and Nebraska and Oklahoma, replacing fast-receding stocks of rare materials with easily grown annual crops: Easily grown annual crops they don't have control over.
-- Rocky Frisco
I ordered Taconic DSL from my local telephone company. They lowered the price to $35/month for 180K service, which is plenty fast enough for me. No setup fee. DSL modem and telephone filters are free. I'll probably buy Gateway's Wireless-B Router for $55; our Airport base station was zapped by lightening a while back, and a new one costs $200. Should be operational by next Tuesday. Looking forward to being able to surf the web without busying the phone.
H.R. 3171, the "Benjamin Franklin True Patriot Act" repeals some of the more egregious civil liberties violations of the U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. Act, the Homeland Security Act, and other nazi legislation and regulations. It currently has 22 cosponsors, including Dr. Ron Paul. Casper Star Tribune article and Liberty Forum discussion here. I sent the following to John Sweeney, my congress critter:
I urge you to join Ron Paul in cosponsoring H.R. 3171, the "Benjamin Franklin True Patriot Act". This act repeals some of the more egregious civil liberties violations of the U.S.A. P.A.T.R.I.O.T. and Homeland Security Acts. The Bill of Rights may not be violated in any way. Ever.
The Office of Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly - AG Reilly Obtains Orders Against Three Illegal Online Ammunition Sellers, Sues Two Other Internet Retailers - Ammoman, Midway, and Kiesler's Police Supply have agreed to pay $2500 each to civil penalty. Lawsuits were filed on Wednesday against The Ammo Bank and Cascade Ammunition. Commie pinko faggot (no insult intended to the gay men in the audience).
BOSTON -- Attorney General Tom Reilly has filed two lawsuits and three judgments against five out-of-state online retailers accused of illegally selling ammunition to Massachusetts residents.
The lawsuits and consent judgments, filed in Suffolk County Superior Court, are the result of undercover stings conducted by AG Reilly's Office into several Internet companies selling ammunition in violation of Massachusetts law. State law requires dealers be licensed to sell ammunition and prohibits the sale of ammunition to minors or those without a permit. None of the companies who shipped ammunition to Massachusetts held the proper state license nor did they take the required steps to verify that the purchaser was authorized to buy ammunition under Massachusetts law.
"Ammunition is a highly dangerous product--that is why it is strictly regulated under Massachusetts law," AG Reilly said. "Bullets, like guns, should never fall into the wrong hands. It is simply unacceptable for companies to send out ammunition which could be delivered to children or others who should not have it."
Jim Peron at Laissez Faire Electronic Times - Total Recall - in Kalifornia. [grabbe]
If the election did anything at all it shows the utter disgusting nature of politics. There is no doubt that Gray Davis deserved to be recalled. The man is the closest thing to a real fascist running around in politics today. His economic policies differ little from those of the failed Italian dictator Mussolini. You may remember Mussolini. He ended his political career swinging from a street light. The real difference between Benito and Gray is that in Italy the street light had electricity.
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The Democrats have one function in American politics as far as I can see. Many erroneously think they are around to keep the Republicans honest. There is as much of a chance of that happening as having a legitimate election in Chicago. No, the real purpose of the Democrats is to make the Republicans look good. What other explanation is there is for Hillary?
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There doesn't seem to be any reason for the Left to really hate Arnold. He's not a rabid Jesse Helms type. He's a rather moderate Republican in fact. He's socially liberal but he does love lower taxes. He even supports gun control but one can't help but suspect that's to keep his in-laws happy. The Left hates Arnold because they fear his popularity will make it easier for the voters to chuck all the Snidely Whiplashes of politics out of office. On that they're right.
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Now it could sound from what I've said that maybe I don't think Arnie is such a bad guy. It might even sound as if I'd be inclined to vote for him. Well I don't think he's such a bad guy. But voting for him? Well, for me American politics is B.B. and A.B. That's for Before Bush and After Bush. In the BB America when the Democratic candidate was an obvious power mad nut case--say a Gray Davis--and the Republican was not so bad--say Arnie--then I was prepared to vote for the Republican with a few provisions. First, if the race was no where near being a close one I'd still vote Libertarian. Only if it looked like a tight race and if the Republican was clearly preferable to the Democrat (which is often the case) would I consider voting Republican.
But as I said that was B.B.. Now we have an A.B. America. A vote for Arnold would be a vote for the Republican Party and right now, as much as it pains me to say it, the Republican Party is the biggest threat to American liberty. It doesn't even pretend to support reducing budgets. The Bush GOP has chucked out all the economic issues that once made it mildly appealing. Bush turned the office of Attorney General over to a Mullah of the Religious Right. He may never be the man that Janet Reno was but Ashcroft is almost making her look good and, believe me, I never thought anything would make Janet Reno look good. Sure she slaughtered a few Branch Davidians and sent poor Elian back to Cuba, but at least she wasn't openly campaigning for chucking the Bill of Rights into the trash bin. Her sins were many but they were built on a bad ideology. The current holder of that office actually thinks that God speaks to him and tells him what to do. And when those loonies hold office somebody is usually burned at the stake.
Ron Paul's Texas Straight Talk - Lessons From the California Recall - unlike the feds, who can devalue the currency by printing money if they spend more than they steal, California has to borrow or raise taxes in order to transfer more wealth from those who make it to the worthless eaters. Both borrowing and increased theft are getting harder to do.
