Wetting the Beak

Amazon.com is in potential trouble. Crime against humanity? Not paying it's "protection" monies to the states of Texas, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. According to an InRich.com article, Amazon.com has been avoiding paying sales taxes in those states, as well as many other where they have a physical presence in those states. Well like any smart business, "protection" monies are there to make sure nothing "bad" happens at that place of business. It's an awesome racket that the states have picked up from the Cosa Nostra. The states receives money in the form of sales taxes, and the businesses and public feel "safer" than before they paid the tax(es). Case in point, a Michael Mazerov, senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities in Washington, D.C., exclaims "Amazon is benefitting from police and fire protection, and other services in the states where it has facilities, it ought to be collecting sales tax just like any other local business." I mean, here we have a person from a think-tank, and admitting that the sales taxes, and probably every other taxes that people have come up with are nothing more than legalized high class extortion. Seriously, if I had a choice between paying "protection" money and not, I wouldn't want to pay it, because it is extortion - but because it is the government doing it, It's Alright™ *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*.

A Call to Arms (or We now must outlaw knives)

While the United Kingdom has installed 4.2 million CCTVs all over the country, and banned the ownership of handguns, we must realize the greater danger this island nation faces. Knives. That is right, knives. They can be bought at any store, you do not require a permit to buy or even own one, and right now there could be as many as four steak knives plus many more assorted knives in the silverware drawer [side note: why do we still call it silverware? It's not silver and only the super rich elite of the world can actually own silver nowadays and we HATE people who better themselves] in peoples kitchens and homes. I mean does Gordon Brown honestly think the UK can stand the violence that comes with knife ownership? Why didn't Mr. Blair, when passing the Firearms (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1997, include language outlawing the ownership of all knives. I mean the New Labour party could of thwarted crime once and for all in Britain with a few simple additions to the amendment. Now London has 14 teen deaths involving knives for 2008. I call for the MPs stand up and outlaw the use of the knives today in the United Kingdom, then and only then can parents sleep soundly at night knowing that their government is hard at work defending them from knife attacks.