FBI Suspcious Activity

The Feds are not only watching you, but they want you to watch others too.  Since the launch of the See Something, Say Something campaign by our Homeland Security, a series of flyers have been developed for particular genres of business.  These flyers provide bullet points on what is deemed "suspicious activity" for the genre of business in which they are directed.

For example, if you are the owner of a martial arts studio and someone comes in displaying:

• Interest in learning offensive moves in a confined space
• Interest in learning the use of hidden weapons

...then, according to the FBI, these are cues that this person is "suspicious" - you may want to say something. I'm going out on a limb here, but doesn't this describe 90% of people that decide to go to a martial arts class?  Aren't they interested in defending and protecting themselves in a confined space or the use of hidden weapons?  Oh, geez!

Hopefully, the FBI has already screened these:
Get Serious - Krav Maga
Russian Martial Arts - Confined Space Defense

 

Indeed, this looks very suspicious.

Perhaps, the FBI would be happier if we were all more like these guys:

Other types of businesses on the "Threat Areas" list include:

• Internet Cafes
• Tattoo Shops
• Paintball
• Hobby Shops

I guess displaying an interest in Psychiatry in the Military was not a consideration for the list.

Here is a link for the full list of 25 flyers that were sent out.  Take the dare and see if you find yourself somewhere on the list.  Do you refuse to have a credit card and insist on paying cash?  You are suspicious!

Bove on the $25 Billion Foreclosure Settlement

In what amounts to basic common sense, yet somewhat cynical, in our surreal Big Gov. and increasingly disconnected citizenry, Dick Bove comments on the $25 billion bailout pass-through to voters:

Link to ZeroHedge.com:
Dick Bove On The Foreclosure Settlement: There Is No Sanctity Of Contracts; Only Fools Meet Their Financial Commitments

"There is no sanctity of contracts in the United States. Only fools meet their financial commitments. The non-payers are the truly enlightened."

The Non-tax Tax: (Free) Cell Phones?

As with many Big Gov. implemented solutions to non-problems, billions are being spent on "free" cell phones to those that seemingly need them and cannot afford them by those that seemingly have them and can afford them.  Along with housing, food programs, welfare, unemployment, health care, tax "incentives" - Big Gov. is on a mission to make every citizen a needy recipient of an unending supply of handouts. Food, water, and shelter... ok... but, a cell phone?  Really?

As Time Magazine reports:

Last year, a federal program paid out $1.6 billion to cover free cell phones and the monthly bills of 12.5 million wireless accounts. The program, overseen by the FCC and intended to help low-income Americans, is popular for obvious reasons, with participation rising steeply since 2008, when the government paid $772 million for phones and monthly bills. But observers complain that the program suffers from poor oversight, in which phones go to people who don't qualify, and hundreds of thousands of those who do qualify have more than one phone.

Of course, as with everything else, ain't nothing in life that's free.  Along with other hidden taxes through fees and surcharges, this one will soon be raised for those that can seemingly afford it.  The slight-of-hand, where's-the-pea shell game of corporate taxes that we play, at first glance appears to be laid upon the backs of the big evil corps.  But, when the layers of obfuscation are peeled away and we shut off the drone of streaming media, we soon come to realize that corporations do not pay taxes - only people pay taxes.  Individuals always pay the taxes: through higher rates of services and increased prices of goods.

A tax or fee levied upon a corporation hurts no one but the consumer.  We need to stop the shell game and wake up.

On another note, I wonder how many "free" cell phones contributed to the unnecessary deaths
of citizens by people who were distracted while using it.  Just wondering... I doubt that Big Gov. will do a study on that.  Though, I'm sure fees for "free" cell phones are about to go up so that we can provide hands free devices for those that can't afford them.

Hands free cell phone usage recommended

Mortgage settlement could bring billions in relief - Feb. 9, 2012

Mortgage settlement could bring billions in relief - Feb. 9, 2012

Another facade to conceal the Big 5 banks to Fed to Treasury to Fannie and Freddie scam. "Oh, look everybody! We are putting our Big Govt. foot down to help the ignorant, delusional, prostrate people. Don't forget who pressured these evil corps come November. Super Pac? Uh... what is that... that video game from the 80s?"

Contraceptive Implants for Teens

The Telegraph has an interesting article exposing the more clandestine means of British health agencies of preventing teenage pregnancies.  Please see: Girls, 13, given contraceptive implants at school

The article states:

They also say reports are showing that teenage pregnancies have dropped by 22 per cent since sexual health services went in to schools.

In Southampton there were as many as 136 pregnancies among 13 to 15 year olds in 2001 and 2003, this fell to 106 in 2007-2009.

Do positive outcomes always provide justifications for actions?  I think not.  One could say, "Since we closed the Southampton schools in 2010, Southampton student pregnancies have virtually been eradicated."

Yes, this is hyperbole for sure.  But, why do we continue to turn over parenting responsibilities and personal rights to bureaucratic assemblies at tremendous financial and moral cost to our communities in order to have the statistics improve?

Isn't this a bit like treating disease with medicines after acquiring it rather than placing more effort and energy into prevention through healthy lifestyles?  Naive?  Perhaps...I'm just asking, probing, pondering, questioning...

Unemployment 8.3%

Daniel Libeskind purportedly said, "To provide meaningful architecture is not to parody history but to articulate it."  Here is an interesting "articulation" of the controversial BLS unemployment figures.  The latest read 8.3%.