Modern day castle

This story is really quite sad...


A judge in Britain can't stand the fact that a farmer built this house in spite of having been told it would violate zoning ordinances. So, the farmer went and found himself a loophole which allows anyone to keep a building that violates such ordinances if the building had been in place for at least 4 years. Our friendly farmer simply stacked up walls of hay bails to conceal his progress in building his castle with nary a complaint. 4 years after he and his family moved in, he pulled down the hay bails and likely gave himself a content pat on the back for finding a way to complete his life's dream home.

Well, this just broils the judge. How dare the citizenry do as they see fit while taking advantage of loopholes written into the law? Now, the judge is demanding that this man tear down his castle. The logic: The hay bails was a part of the structure that stood for the 4 years. When he pulled down the hay bails from around his home, the judge rules that he substantially changed the structure thereby opening himself back up to the local zoning ordinances.

A beautiful home that would likely stand for centuries. Gone over a silly ordinance. No complaints, just an ordinance.

THIS is whybritspaytaxes.

Trading down

I was afraid of this. I've been complaining of the dolts who accidentally hiked into iran a few months ago. The fact that our State Department has to spend the time, money and political capital to get these assholes back blows my mind. There's a reason I've never accidentally hiked into Iran: Because I know better than to put myself in a position where that might happen.

Now, in addition to being a strain on State, there is a very likely chance that there will be a prisoner swap to get these people back. Iran'll get important comrades-in-arms, we'll get three douchebags who will end up writing books about the ordeal, having launched themselves into the spotlight.

THIS is whyipaytaxes.

One small step for

The California State Historical Resources Commission is claiming the various items left on the moon by the Apollo 11 crew as a Californian historical resource. Their ownership claim is based on the fact that Californian firms were involved in the Apollo mission.

They think that by stating this claim, they'll be able to preserve the site as other countries plan to visit the moon themselves. I'd like to see them enforce that one!

THIS is whycalifornianspaytaxes.

Sadly enough, California isn't the only state with departments spending time on this.

Rooftop Parking

Sometimes the amount of money we waste on law enforcement isn't at all an example of poorly trained government employees. Sometimes befuddled 71 year old men aren't happy with just a speeding ticket and decide to check out the rooftop parking...

That one'll set Buffalo Grove, IL taxpayers back a couple hundred bucks.
(I especially like how he tries to warn people of his maneuver with his turn signal)

THIS is whyipaytaxes.

North Korean Tourism

Why is it American citizens insist on illegally entering countries who would sooner arrest and torture us while using us as both propaganda and bargaining chips?

An even better question: Why is it our government takes the time and makes the effort to 'rescue' these morons?

Take the guy who crossed a frozen river from China into North Korea on Christmas day to 'protest against repression.' What did he think was going to happen? A personal visit from Kim Jong Il who will listen to what this guy has to say and do a complete about-face on his and his fathers life's work? Didn't he realize that a one person protest isn't so much a protest as much as a loudmouthed moron aching to disappear?

Not only is our State Department forced to deal with him, but another guy got busted yesterday. This is on top of the pair of journalists we sent Bill Clinton to get. And the 3 morons who hiked into Iran.

Saving people going to places they should be going to...

THIS is whyipaytaxes.

Tell me more about the TARP

Thank heavens... Our government has finally decided that it might be in their interest to look into why just a few of our officials were able to funnel $180 BILLION of taxpayer money into AIG. Apparently some documents have come to light that were not submitted to the TARP Auditor.

AIG needed this money because they decided early on to pay the face value on their policies long after it was discovered that the face values were fictitious numbers made up by people who were content to drive their employers out of business in exchange for bonuses.

AIG paid much of this money to the folks at Goldman Sachs.

Goldman Sachs is the former employer of the few officials who funneled the $180 BILLION into AIG.

While I may be a bit taken aback by the fact that out of an entire country full of people, the only place we can find employees for the Fed and Treasury is Goldman, I'm not implying any dirty goings on. I don't know what happened and I don't know what decisions were made under duress, what decisions were about as wise as could be expected considering what they knew at the time and the tremendous pressures they faced.

I am a bit curious to know why those few officials did not provide all the information they had to the TARP auditor, why some documents are just coming to light now. Perhaps these documents were overlooked.

What I AM saying: Its a heck of a coincidence and it doesn't hurt to take a look at what really happened in the heat of the moment.

THIS is whyipaytaxes.