Careful investment
@ Your alien overlord - fear me
The $375,000 fine may take some of the sheen off of your available investment fund.
406 publicly visible posts • joined 20 Jan 2016
@ The Man Who Fell To Earth
You said: "But of course, we have a Freedom of the Press."
Jamie Jones said: "For what it's worth, I agree with the non-censorship issue"
Then you return with: "You don't really understand what the word "freedom" means do you? When applied to speech & the press, it means the government is not allowed to control either."
FFS, pull your head out!
He just got finished agreeing with you, and you're giving him the fail icon?
@ Lotaresco
Red Bren is spot on.
I thought it was a clever, funny post.
In my younger days, I toiled for a couple of summers in a [redacted] mill. Fire or flame of any sort was forbidden not only in the structure, but also in the parking area which was 100 yards away. You couldn't go out to your car at lunchtime and have a ciggie.
@ Lotaresco
"No really, it isn't."
No, really, it is.
" It's certainly true that the USA bans people trying to live "off grid" by misusing sanitation laws and by claiming that anyone who saves the rainwater from their own roof is "stealing" water that belongs to a private company."
You are spouting bullshit.
I save the water off my own roof, and so do several of my immediate neighbors. In fact, a quick tour of the subdivision I live in revealed a couple of dozen rain barrels and/or water collection schemes. Not a single one of these home owners has ever been told that they are in violation of "The International Property Maintenance Code", whatever the fuck that's supposed to be.
The city housing inspectors go through this neighborhood very frequently looking for violations of the local housing codes, and have never said a word to any resident about his or her collection of rainwater. Or the use they make of said rainwater.
Municipalities have housing codes and other ordinances intended to provide a safe, healthy environment for their citizens? Who knew?
If you desire to live in Huntsville, or Coral Gables, or Weston-super-Mare, you will be expected to be in compliance with the local regulations. What a surprise!
Don't want to be on the grid? Move away from the grid. It is to be found in every city and many towns in the US, so your best bet is to move to a rural area, where there is no grid.
A fair sized portion of my family are not on any water or sewer grid, none whatsoever. My brother isn't connected to any municipal water system, he gets all of his water from a combination of his wells, and collected rainwater. All perfectly legal, as much water as he needs to grow his crops and water his livestock. A sister in another state does likewise.
"So it's fairly clear that the statements that you made are incorrect. Maybe you should learn the facts before you spew your outrage? Just a thought."
No, my statements are correct.
You mistake bemusement for outrage. Yet again I encounter on these pages a poster from another country who has no first hand knowledge of the communities where I live, but is bound and determined to tell me that I don't know, and he does know, how those communities actually work.
I wouldn't presume to tell an Englishman what the "facts" were or how the governing was conducted in Kent, or Cornwall, or Yorkshire. I don't live in those places. I'll take him at his word, because he does live there.
On a different note, I was sorry to read your post concerning gardening and the availability of seeds. I would think that HM government would strongly encourage the growing of as much fruit and veg as was possible by the citizenry.
If you are interested, a book you might like to read is: "Cadillac Desert - the American west and its disappearing water." by Marc Reisner. Penguin Books, ISBN 0 14 01.7824 4
Enough for now, I'm off to see if San Marino scored a goal in their match today.
@ Voland's right hand
"USA HAD laws to prohibit that introduced by FDR during the war for obvious reasons."
Thank you for the history lesson.
The US also HAD laws prohibiting the manufacture or consumption of alchoholic beverages. The US also HAD laws prohibiting women from voting. The US also HAD laws enslaving the black portion of the populace.
What exactly is your point in referencing laws the US HAD but no longer does?
Barter occurs every day in the US, in every part of the US. Are you seriously attempting to dispute this?
@ Lotaresco
"Probably. It's certainly true that the USA bans people trying to live "off grid" by misusing sanitation laws and by claiming that anyone who saves the rainwater from their own roof is "stealing" water that belongs to a private company."
That would be you being completely and spectacularly wrong.
Not only does the bartering of goods (including foodstuffs) and services happen every day in the US, but people collect and use rain water regularly for their own purposes.
This doesn't take place furtively, in the shadows, but in broad daylight, right on Main street.
@ Richard Jones 1
"So the fact (not supposition) that a certain Thomas Mair, 53 is stated to have used the contents of such a book to build a device to kill Jo Cox does not blow a hole in your weak arguement. It is not just stupid master mind terrorists but feable minded bigots and dopes we have to worry about."
Thank you for your post. These forums need more people who are, as you seem to be, familiar with facts, weak arguement, and the 'feable minded'.
I, for one, feel certain that a job in government is in your future.
@ Version 1.0
Have an upvote for saying so under your regular handle, unlike those trouser staining anonymous cowards.
I too, own a print copy of "The Anarchists Cookbook". It's good for a few laughs, and not much else.
I certainly won't be storming the barricades with a pitchfork in one hand, and the Anarchists Cookbook in the other.
@ Archtech
"I have a degree in history from a good university."
Go on, pull the other one.
"Well, the USA ... can't even design and build complex fighter jets."
Honest to goodness, I laughed out loud at that.
"The world is not as simple as you would like it to be."
Quite unlike your humble self then, eh?
@ h4rm0ny
"maybe we shouldn't be building up massive military forces around Russia in the first place."
I'm very interested in your description of these "massive" military forces.
Perhaps you could enlighten the readership with an order of battle listing the western troops that will be commencing 'Unternehmen Barbarossa 2' some time very, very soon.
After that, please furnish the OOB of the Russian troops ready to "Defend the Motherland".
No doubt the Russians will be heavily out numbered.
@ AC
" 'Hell is where the police are German, the lovers Swiss, the mechanics French, the chefs British, and it is all organized by the Italians'.
The problem with these jokes, apart from being old, is that in order to work there has to be at least an inkling of truth about them. As it happens, German police are amongst the most professional I've come across (just don't get on the wrong side of them, they know how to dole out some impressive aggression)"
AC, I believe the joke (which is seen on t-shirts over here), is making reference to these men when it says "the police are German".
@ midcapwarrior
"You have to register to vote in a primary in most states.
No requirement in the general election."
A voter must register in their current voting district in order to vote in any election, but having done so, they are automatically registered in the same voting district for any and all subsequent elections.
If the voter relocates to a different voting district, they must register in their new district before they're allowed to vote.
I registered in my present district seven years ago, and have been voting here ever since then.
@ Steve Davies 3
"In many states you can change your vote and some more than once if you voted early."
No you can not change your vote, whether you vote early or vote on election day.
"Also in the US you have to register with a party in order to vote."
I have been voting in the US for more than forty years, and I have never registered with any political party.
TL:DR - You don't know what the fuck you're talking about.
@ anonCoward24
"BTW, anyone knows if they intend to stop the shameful killing of whales that Iceland still condones?
Yes! I have it on the very best authority that the Icelanders are going to raise crops of wheat, and corn, with some planting peas and carrots. Oh, and oranges and bananas! Very soon now!
@ BlokeOnMotorway
"What have Florence Ballard, Mary Wilson and Diana Ross got to do with it?
"I remember mama said:
You can't hurry love
No, you just have to wait
She said love don't come easy
It's a game of give and take
You can't hurry love
No, you just have to wait
You got to trust, give it time
No matter how long it takes"
<b@ Gene Cash</b>
"A "local sherrif's deputy" cooperating with the FBI is not an FBI agent.
No, but as the article notes, you can be both."
No you can not be both a "local sherrif's deputy" and an FBI agent.
The article incorrectly leads by saying that Deputy Matthew Miller is a federal agent.
He is not.
Farther down, article clearly states that "Jones was accused of texting a Wayne County deputy, who also is a member of an FBI gang task force..."
An FBI gang task force is typically a multi-agency group formed as needed. It will have personnel drawn from federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies.
Deputy Miller is a "local", not a fed.
@ AC
"former USSR territory"
That's quite an interesting description. An alternative description would be "free and independent countries forcibly occupied by the USSR."
I think you will find that the people living in those places refer to themselves as; Estonians, Hungarians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles, and Romanians. Not as Russians.
All independent countries, and free to join (or not) any economic or political association they choose, unless you ask the Russian government.
Amazingly, damned few of them are clamoring to join the "Commonwealth of Independent States", much less to be re-occupied by the Russians.
@ GloomyTrousers
"@Doctor Syntax: so by your highly scientific survey, pedestrians and drivers are flawless, and only some cyclists are not?"
I've read, and re-read, the Doctor's post. I can't seem to find those words.
That would be a big, fat, fucking, fail on your part.
Why do you (and others) insist on putting your own words into someone else's mouth?
@ tiggity
"But the quality of driving whilst having the conversation made me (seriously) fear for my life (this was on a motorway, not IMHO the place to take calls)."
Forgive my saying so, but your description of this incident does not sound a technology problem, rather that the usual suspect(s) are at it again.
I will not start ranting about my fellow motorists. I will not start ranting about my fellow motorists. I will not start ranting about my fellow motorists.
Whew!
Better now.
@ Voland's right hand
"There is a world of difference between an old E class tank and the crap on the road today."
Absolutely right. They were built like tanks. You still see them on the road today.
The problem for Mercedes was that once they'd sold you one of those, it would be a very long time until you came back for another new one.
Planned obsolesence wins another round.
I am very happy with my current Mercedes, and have been happy with each of the Mercedes I have owned prior to this one. Given the choice, I wouldn't own anything else.
Unless, of course, a prancing horse was featured on the badge.
I believe it was Mr. Clarkson who said; "If you want to see what technology will be in your car in ten years time, take a look at today's Mercedes S-class."
I don't have to wait ten years, I just walk out to the garage.
@ disgustedoftunbridgewells
"Who's Australian?"
The Pompous Git. I was attempting to give him some gentle ribbing over his mention of (looks around) "a Hildebeast and a Donald?" in one of the few threads that had been mercifully free of their presence.
Your part was contained in the phrase "the disgusting republican posts", and yes, I do recognize the difference between a republican and a Republican.
To recap this two act play:
The Pompous Git played the part of -
"The irresponsible Aussie."
You played the part of -
"The innocent bystander."
And I played the part of -
"The fellow who's calls are not returned by the local comedy clubs."
I hope this goes some way toward answering your question.
@ Pompous Git
"I am assuming that question is rhetorical."
No,no,no, nothing of the sort! No seriousness intended or implied!
I meant it as a good-natured jibe towards a fellow who'd (perhaps inadvertently), introduced two names into a thread where I least expected to see them.
Mea culpa, Mea culpa, Mea maxima culpa.
@ allthecoolshortnamesweretaken
Other than self preservation?
"It's none of my business anyway as a non-Brit..."
For goodness sakes, don't let that slow you down. The topic de jure certainly makes no difference to most of the Brits, nor to many other posters.
It was a nice change to have the TL:DR at the top of the article for once, and in less than ten words as well.