When you own something, you can do what you like with it, as long as it doesn't interfere or violate anybody else's rights.
Not so in Athens, Alabama.
The city has passed an ordinance making it ILLEGAL keep a vehicle on your property that isn't able to move under its own power. Those in violation can face a fine anywhere from 100-500 dollars... and even jail time!
It's being called the 'junk car' ordinance.
The purpose is to clean up yards and neighborhoods that look, well... 'trashy.' Afterall, who wants to live next door to someone who has a junkyard in their front yard?
I don't. Do you?
Probably not. But we don't get to decide how ours neighbor live and maintain their home and its appearance. We can't choose our neighbors nor can we dictate how they live their lives. Besides, someone having a defunct car parked in their front yard (or back) doesn't interfere or violate anybody else's rights.
You may not like it. But you may not like the way your neighbor trims his bushes once a month either.
The real travesty in this new ordinance is that those in violation can be face a YEAR IN JAIL if convicted.
Wouldn't you sleep better in Athens knowing that the streets are safer with all of those 'defunct car owners' behind bars?
Afterall, it just looks trashy.
Friday, March 30, 2007
Monday, March 26, 2007
Money For Nothing?
You work and keep what you earn and I'll work and keep what I earn. You are not entitled to what I've earned just as I'm not entitled to what you've earned. What's yours is your and what's mine is mine.
Sound like a fair deal?
Not so fast. Especially if you're a politician in the Alabama Legislature.
The Alabama State Senate Majority Leader, Zeb Little, has introduced a bill that would GIVE 36,000 dollars a year to former Governor Guy Hunt who is battling lung cancer.
Hunt doesn't have much time left on this Earth, but that's not the point.
The real issue is quite simple: Legalized theft performed by the state legislature.
What right does one person have to another person's property? If you said (or screamed) 'none,' move ahead 2 spaces.
Now let's ask it another way: Would a person have the right to another's property if our government said otherwise or tried to arrange the transaction?
Move ahead 2 more spaces if you said no!
In a truly free society and country, people are not enslaved or forced to work for others. No one can stake a claim to what does not belong to them.
Unfortunately, we are not truly free.
Sound like a fair deal?
Not so fast. Especially if you're a politician in the Alabama Legislature.
The Alabama State Senate Majority Leader, Zeb Little, has introduced a bill that would GIVE 36,000 dollars a year to former Governor Guy Hunt who is battling lung cancer.
Hunt doesn't have much time left on this Earth, but that's not the point.
The real issue is quite simple: Legalized theft performed by the state legislature.
What right does one person have to another person's property? If you said (or screamed) 'none,' move ahead 2 spaces.
Now let's ask it another way: Would a person have the right to another's property if our government said otherwise or tried to arrange the transaction?
Move ahead 2 more spaces if you said no!
In a truly free society and country, people are not enslaved or forced to work for others. No one can stake a claim to what does not belong to them.
Unfortunately, we are not truly free.
Friday, March 9, 2007
'Big' Press
Sometimes the press uses silly terms to describe things going on in the news. You've probably heard the term,'If it bleeds, it leads.' That means that murders, shootings or stabbings will find their way to the frontpage or be the first thing you hear about on the news.
The press also uses the same old cliches to describe these stories. For example, when there is a shooting,you may hear a reporter say that 'shots rang out.' After a devastating disaster, families will try to 'pickup the pieces of their shattered lives.' The neighbors are also always going to be 'shocked.' You could almost make a drinking game out of watching the news!
Another example of silly cliches the press uses is their description of the tobacco and oil companies.
Both are described as nothing more than 'big.'
When gas prices rose to more than three dollars a gallon and oil companies were reporting 'record profits' (remember, profit = bad & greedy), the press was quick to demonize them as a whole, calling them 'big.' You probably heard this line a few times: 'Another record for big oil, as profits soared...'
(What you didn't hear is that government's taxes on a gallon of gasoline are greater than the oil companies'profit off the same gallon! But nowhere did you hear about 'big government.')
It's become so ridiculous that sometimes reporters will talk about 'big oil' like it's a living, breathing, being!
'It depends on big oil.'
'What will big oil do?'
R.J. Reynolds & Philip Morris are tobacco companies that get the label in the news as 'big tobacco.'
These terms are absolutely ridiculous. If the press is going to put the label on the oil and tobacco companies,why not put it on others?
Water would be a perfect example. At Costco, you can purchase 35 bottles of water for less than five dollars. The price per unit is about 13 cents. If you were to sell those bottles of water for a dollar each, the mark-up is more than 750%!
Should the press demonize people who sell bottled water as 'big water?' Trying to use that term would get a journalist laughed out of the newsroom.
So should using 'big tobacco' and 'big oil.'
The press also uses the same old cliches to describe these stories. For example, when there is a shooting,you may hear a reporter say that 'shots rang out.' After a devastating disaster, families will try to 'pickup the pieces of their shattered lives.' The neighbors are also always going to be 'shocked.' You could almost make a drinking game out of watching the news!
Another example of silly cliches the press uses is their description of the tobacco and oil companies.
Both are described as nothing more than 'big.'
When gas prices rose to more than three dollars a gallon and oil companies were reporting 'record profits' (remember, profit = bad & greedy), the press was quick to demonize them as a whole, calling them 'big.' You probably heard this line a few times: 'Another record for big oil, as profits soared...'
(What you didn't hear is that government's taxes on a gallon of gasoline are greater than the oil companies'profit off the same gallon! But nowhere did you hear about 'big government.')
It's become so ridiculous that sometimes reporters will talk about 'big oil' like it's a living, breathing, being!
'It depends on big oil.'
'What will big oil do?'
R.J. Reynolds & Philip Morris are tobacco companies that get the label in the news as 'big tobacco.'
These terms are absolutely ridiculous. If the press is going to put the label on the oil and tobacco companies,why not put it on others?
Water would be a perfect example. At Costco, you can purchase 35 bottles of water for less than five dollars. The price per unit is about 13 cents. If you were to sell those bottles of water for a dollar each, the mark-up is more than 750%!
Should the press demonize people who sell bottled water as 'big water?' Trying to use that term would get a journalist laughed out of the newsroom.
So should using 'big tobacco' and 'big oil.'
Monday, March 5, 2007
'The Media' vs. 'The Press'
From time to time you may hear something about the 'liberal media,' the 'conservative media' or how 'the media got it wrong/right,' etc.
Who or what is this 'media?'
Simply put, the media is where we get our news, information and entertainment. That includes television, radio, internet, movies, cell phones, newspapers, etc. Anyone who is on the radio, television, blogs, writes editorials or stories for newspapers, stars in a movie, etc., by definition, is in the media.
Does that mean that George Clooney, Brian Williams and Rush Limbaugh are all a part of the same media? Not hardly.
This is confusing because many people think they get their news from the media.
They do and they don't. There is a big difference between the media and the press ('The View' vs. ABC World News Tonight).
When you watch CNN, FOX or Brian Williams (the press), you should expect* that you are getting your news from an organization that is presenting the story/topic in a fair light, exploring all sides of the issue, not just two. Personal opinions or thoughts on the stories should be non-existent. You shouldn't know that a news organization or the reporter feels a certain way about the story.** This is the job of journalists who are a part of 'the press.' (You'll never hear a report that came off the wires from the 'Associated Media.')
When you tune in to Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck or read something from the Huffington Post (all a part of 'the media'), you should expect and know you are going to get those individual's personal take on whatever it is they happen to be talking about. Does that make them less credible? Does that mean that they don't know what they're talking about? YOU have to decide that for yourself.
George Clooney, Rush Limbaugh, Rosie O'Donnell, Katie Couric, Brian Williams, Britney Spears and Neal Boortz are all a part of the media.
They are not all a part of the press.
* Actually, you should DEMAND it, not expect it.
** Unfortunately, it's not always that way
Who or what is this 'media?'
Simply put, the media is where we get our news, information and entertainment. That includes television, radio, internet, movies, cell phones, newspapers, etc. Anyone who is on the radio, television, blogs, writes editorials or stories for newspapers, stars in a movie, etc., by definition, is in the media.
Does that mean that George Clooney, Brian Williams and Rush Limbaugh are all a part of the same media? Not hardly.
This is confusing because many people think they get their news from the media.
They do and they don't. There is a big difference between the media and the press ('The View' vs. ABC World News Tonight).
When you watch CNN, FOX or Brian Williams (the press), you should expect* that you are getting your news from an organization that is presenting the story/topic in a fair light, exploring all sides of the issue, not just two. Personal opinions or thoughts on the stories should be non-existent. You shouldn't know that a news organization or the reporter feels a certain way about the story.** This is the job of journalists who are a part of 'the press.' (You'll never hear a report that came off the wires from the 'Associated Media.')
When you tune in to Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck or read something from the Huffington Post (all a part of 'the media'), you should expect and know you are going to get those individual's personal take on whatever it is they happen to be talking about. Does that make them less credible? Does that mean that they don't know what they're talking about? YOU have to decide that for yourself.
George Clooney, Rush Limbaugh, Rosie O'Donnell, Katie Couric, Brian Williams, Britney Spears and Neal Boortz are all a part of the media.
They are not all a part of the press.
* Actually, you should DEMAND it, not expect it.
** Unfortunately, it's not always that way
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