Our Runaway Government

Today's Wall Street Journal reports that the Federal Government has raided Gibson Guitar plants in Nashville and Memphis. Was it the DEA looking for drug dealers? Nope. Border patrol pursuing undocumented workers? Nope. Homeland Security uncovering a terrorist plot or the FBI taking down an organized crime syndicate? Wrong again. Would you believe the US Fish and Wildlife Service was looking for illegal ebony - as in wood - lumber - fret board material. USFWS confiscated several pallets of wood, despite Gibson's documentation that the wood was purchased from a Forest Stewardship Council certified supplier (they were trying to comply with a maze of laws restricting illegal forestry products from abroad). The article goes on to explain not to take your 1920's vintage Martin guitar made of Brazilian Rosewood out of the country - US Customs will take it from you for transporting illegal "flora and fauna" across international lines.

In June, the Department of Education Office of the Inspector General (OIG) RAIDED A HOME, SWAT style, over unpaid student loans. What the heck is the Department of Education doing with an armed SWAT team? Aren't crimes like fraud and embezzlement the FBI's jurisdiction?

I'm paying taxes for this?

I'm looking forward to November 2012. This government is out of control, and it's not just the Wood Nazis at US Fish and Wildlife and Customs. EPA, Education, Energy, BATFE: shut 'em down, fire the bulk of them from the top down and then take the few necessary remaining parts (if you can find any) and put them elsewhere.

Why I D/Won't Own Apple Products

The Apple Store has again refused an app promoting the Manhattan Declaration, a statement of Christian faith, because it is allegedly 'likely to expose a group to harm.' The supposed harm comes from the "anti-gay, anti-choice" language in the declaration, defending the Biblical positions that homosexuality and abortion are sin. According to the Apple Store, my Christian faith is harmful to others. The folks at the Manhattan Declaration summed it up, saying, "it is difficult to see how this is anything other than a statement of animus by a major American corporation against the beliefs of millions of Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox citizens."

So, even though I am looking forward to one day owning a handy little pad/tablet device, there is yet another reason not to purchase an iPad or any other Apple product. Heck, I don't even have iTunes or QuickTime on my computers.

There are some levels of politically correct insanity I can deal with (and have to if I want to buy almost anything these days), but when a company decides that a basic statement of Christian beliefs is "likely to expose a group to harm," I have no use for that company or its products.

Happy New Year!