Some have a funny sense of humor.

First there is the story about how some in San Francisco want to rename the Oceanside Sewage Treatment Plant to be the George W. Bush Sewage Treatment Plant, which is rather funny, and a definite political statement about what many think of the President. Now in North Caroline, they are sending out notices to people, who have license plates with the letters WTF that they can replace those nasty letters for free.

The News & Observer of Raleigh reported Tuesday the state Division of Motor Vehicles has notified nearly 10,000 holders of license plates with the letter combination. Officials learned last year the common acronym stands for a vulgar phrase in e-mail and cell phone text messages. (source – Fox News)

You know the world is going crazy when even letters used in text messages are considered obscene or objectionable. To begin with, the person who bitched, didn’t even know what the letters stood for, until her teenage grandkids told her. What is funny too, is that this 60 year old was or is a technology teacher.

If the teacher doesn’t know the meanings, kind of makes you wonder what kind of technology she was teaching her class? Then too, like if people don’t know, how in the heck does it hurt anyone? There are a ton of meanings one could make up for the letters. And there are some who will always find something dirty to make up.

Like did FORD change its name when people started referred to FORD as FIX OR REPAIR DAILY?

While the letters in the more adult sense do mean ‘What The F**K‘ it could just as easily mean ‘What The Fudge‘. Just imagine the added cost to taxpayers, because some technology teacher who hadn’t a clue, objected to the letters.

Talking about cheek, it amazes me how greedy some business owners are, and how shameless they are in trying to make a buck, off of people’s grief.

(CNN) — The owner of a company that sold firearm merchandise to both the Virginia Tech University and Northern Illinois University shooters said he will sell his guns at cost for the next two weeks in hopes that “law-abiding” citizens will buy them to prevent similar tragedies. (source)

First off, the whole idea of selling guns over the internet, is mind boggling. No wonder some crack pot was able to get guns, and go shoot up innocent people. It shows not only a lack of concern for people, but this latest gimmick, is nothing more than shameless self promotion. Sure for two weeks he’ll sell his wares at cost, as if that is going to instill a sense of well being. To ‘prevent‘ these type of incidents, he says, but come on, more guns out there, easier it becomes for criminals and crack pots to get a hold of them, easier for innocent accidents to happen, because this GUN RUNNER is doing nothing but putting more guns on the street, CHEAPER.

Frankly, it is nothing but a cheap tawdry marketing trick, to get people to buy his guns, and to get his name out there, to do more business. At the risk of innocent lives, and he thinks it is to promote better gun awareness? All it does is show how greedy people can be, how willing they are to trade on people’s grief, in order to promote their own business, their own agendas.

Thompson said he has a “really emotional and raw feeling” about having links to the attacks. “I feel absolutely terrible for the parents, students and schools.” (source)

So he feels bad, terrible to be linked to these crimes, so instead of advocating tougher laws to keep guns away from sickos, he wants to sell them at his ‘supposed cost’ in order to let more people have access to weapons, to supposedly feel safe. Like, how is that helping?

Really, while there is no doubt that more needs to be done for those who are ill, who need treatment, making it easier for them to get guns is just plain stupid. To make weapons easier for criminals to get a hold of, to find, is reckless.

To claim it is for helping to prevent more such incidents, is the height of gall.

There was an interesting article on the Globe & Mail, about the Access to Information record of the Harper Government. It would have been nice to discuss it, however, it now seems that the link to that Article requires people to PAY FOR READING IT.

I am sorry, but I find that a rather objectionable tactic by the Globe & Mail. If the service they provide online is to be restricted in this manner, to garner increased revenues, then have the decency to SAY SO UP FRONT.

There are lots of people who read headlines, feel the need to discuss them, and then later, when you go to read the source of the discussion, find out you have TO PAY FOR WHAT WAS FREELY LISTED, is not what NEWS REPORTING means to me.

The link listed below was to be to the entire article. If you click it, you will be asked to pay $4 for the supposed privilege of reading a 725 word article. Makes you wonder doesn’t it, just who is controlling the NEWS these days? I mean is it the Government with its REFUSAL TO PROVIDE INFORMATION or is it the CORPORATE GREED of the companies generating the reports, or is it the ADVERTISERS?

story

Frankly I find this not just annoying, but wrong. I know it won’t make any difference to the Globe & Mail, but from now on, I shall refrain from linking to any of their so called news stories, and will rely on the CBC instead. At least their reporting is still available to Canadians FOR FREE.

I wonder, why do we live in such fear?

George Bush and Stephen Harper are two prime examples of Leaders (okay, so called leaders) that have gained prominence based on their ability to sell ‘fear‘ to the Voter, to secure their victories. Many Politicians claim to be ‘Law and Order‘ types, such as Rudy Guiliani, Stephen Harper, Mitt Romney, Hilary Clinton, and you have to wonder, is it a ploy only, to capitalize on our ‘fear‘?

Now Taser is marketing a civilian brand of their ‘Stun Gun‘ that is within the price range of most, and they claim it’s hard to keep them in stock, as they are being grabbed as fast as stores put them up for sale.

A few months ago, the world’s biggest stun gun maker revealed a lower-cost model primarily for civilians. The device has energized a mini-revolution in Taser sales, fuelling everything from designer colours for the fashion-conscious to Tupperware-like Taser parties for Southwestern soccer moms. (source)

From what it says, anyone can buy the ‘Stun Gun‘ that fires once, instead of multiple times like the Police version. The concept being that you zap someone, drop it, and run like hell. Now I can sort of see that, but what I don’t see is why do so many people feel they need that kind of protection?

Is our society that violent, or do we have the ‘perception‘ that it is?

Politicians argue that we need tougher sentencing by judges, something Stephen Harper is attempting here, while the fact remains that the United States has had tougher laws, penalties, in effect for years. It hasn’t made much of a dent, and Prisons are bulging with even more violent criminals than ever. So is the solution really increased penalties?

Can’t we find other alternatives, that work? Why do we feel the need to ARM OURSELVES, or use STUN GUNS? Do we not have Police Officers? Are they too few in number? If so, then maybe instead of adding to the Prison Population artificially, as Stephen Harper is trying to do with mandatory sentences, we should add more Police, improve response times, and improve patrols. Seems to me that would be more PROACTIVE, than just REACTIVE.

Maybe I just live in a sheltered part of Canada. I have no fear of being mugged, of being robbed. Yes, we have crime, and Victoria is not one of Canada’s least crime spots either. It is just that I don’t fear it, and I wonder why so many do? Is it the constant reiteration of crime news that has people quaking in their boots? I do have a lot of questions, but it seems that the more we give in to these fears, whether it is of being mugged, or being blown up by some terrorist, we are only feeding into the whole nightmare scenario. Being a victim is no fun, yet we seem to attack the problem with REVENGE, rather than trying to come to terms with WHY these things happen.

Are people robbing more because it is too hard to work for one’s money? Are we perhaps expecting way too much, no longer satisfied with working, saving, to obtain our goals in life? We want instant gratification so badly we are willing to risk Prison or even Death?

For me, the idea of individuals having access to Stun Guns is like giving a convicted felon an AK47. It makes no practical sense. All it will do is acerbate the situation, making crime and fear even more prevalent. I suppose it is simply a result of too good of a marketing campaign, and you know, I tend to lay the blame at the door of these Conservatives. Not the True Conservative, but the New Breed of Conservative, who exist solely to rape people’s rights, income, and dignity.

You know, the Stephen Harpers, George W. Bushes of the world.

You have to love Politicians and the Oil Companies that have BOUGHT & PAID FOR THEM. I mean if you listen to them, the High Loonie (see comment ‘How High Can It Go?‘) means Canada is sitting pretty because we sell a lot of commodities, specifically oil. Given the Oil is at 93 a barrel, that should make for GREAT REVENUE for those Oil Companies.

Now how does it help you and me?

Gas just went up 5¢ a liter here today. That is about 22.5¢ an Imperial Gallon.

Fact is, the high cost of fuel will increase inflation, increase consumer prices, not to mention increase the cost of manufacturing goods. Factor in a Higher Loonie, and we could be treading on some dangerous grounds here. There is no doubt, that Energy Consumption is going to be an issue, yet this Government is DOING NOTHING about CONSERVATION. They have abandoned the Kyoto Accord, and replaced it with NOTHING BUT HOT AIR.

When are the Politicians going to wake up and look around. Corporates Interests ARE NOT HELPING. They are directly at odds with what is GOOD for the COUNTRY. Whether Liberal, Conservative, or NDP, isn’t it time we got someone who GAVE A DAMN FOR US?

———————–

NOTE > Oil is back at 90 a barrel, think the prices will go down? NOT!