Strike The Root Blog

Recruitment starts early in life:

Always a refreshing sight- youths challenging the state:

The Emperor meets with a believer:

He’s back! No doubt, to “assist” those returning from Iraq:

A reasonable alternative to war:

Where’s Daddy? Perhaps, here……….

Will the Empire drown in its debt?

Slick just can’t get enough attention:

Whoa- Big surprise! Social Security is broke!

The Emperor reminds all to be good, obedient tax slaves:

Crusaders-to-be get some practice killin’ Hadjis:

Guess who got the raw deal in this exchange? The life of a loved one is exchanged for arms full pretty rags and a hand full of trinkets:

Warming wackos freak out over a crack in the ice:

So?

Obama supporters are ecstatic to be promised heaven on earth:

An appropriate way to pay taxes:

El Diablo’s earth-bound warriors sing praises to Lucifer:

The Exalted One gets the red carpet treatment- or is that the sea of blood he has produced:

I waited in line today to pay my annual property taxes (I don’t trust these people, so I wanted a receipt). Texas has no state income tax, so localities make up for it with property taxes. My home is a nice place, but no mansion; it’s 4 bedrooms and 3450 square feet, appraised at somewhere in the low $400,000s. (Wanna buy? I’m selling it in a couple months to move back to Colorado.)

The tax rate is a little less than 3%, typical for most of the municipalities around here. We received some sort of homestead exemption, bringing down their take to about $9700. Ouch.

Standing in line, I noted an Hispanic woman in front of me pulling out cold cash. She flashed six $100 bills and some odds & ends. The clerk mentioned something about lot #46, so I surmised trailer park. Doing the math, that’s probably about right; she’s sitting on a perhaps $25,000 trailer lot somewhere. Taxes, of course, still due. Perhaps she’s wise to park in that trailer no matter what her income rises to. I’m now tempted to buy a double-wide myself.

Behind me, an elderly woman mentioned something about being on a fixed income. Her house continues to appraise in value. Lucky her–her tax bill, too, continues to rise. I had heard of elderly people being forced out of their homes in the past, homes in which they had lived most of their lives and had paid off. Apparently our heroes, the Politicians, have finally granted significant exemptions for seniors.

Another big obscenity I noted was the intolerance for late fees. Here, government is far worse than the supposedly greedy credit card companies. My payment is due January 31. If it’s one day late or 28 days late, I pay a whopping $700 late fee, over 7%. Each subsequent month tacks on an additional $400 or so of late fees. Maybe my math is wrong, but that’s close to 50% per year. I doubt even Guido of the syndicate charges so much juice on a loan. Nah, Guido just snaps your leg; much less painful.

What The Troops were doing on 9/11:

Her Highness is looking a bit haggard and the campaign has barely begun. Perhaps she‘ll still get her opportunity to topple the republic:

April 15^th is not that far away:

Here’s one way to make peace in the Middle east:

Are aliens warning us of the Fed‘s inability to walk the financial tight rope?:

No doubt, Rudy is one spooky dude:

Hey, kids! Let’s play “hostage:”

‘Tis the season.  Even Santa gets a war hard on:

Big, tough soldier boys need their soft, cute puppy dogs to get them through. What ever happened to military toughness?

No one dare stand in the way of Israel’s wall building:

Your tax dollars at work:

Remember, if it wasn’t for veterans we all would be speaking German/Japanese/Korean/Russian/Vietnamese/Arabic, praying to Allah, riding camels instead of cars, and obeying the orders of Hitler’s grandson:

Can‘t do it alone. Papa Bush keeps his parasitic ways (if only symbolic) even when sky diving:

Like Father……..

………..like son:

How to kill an immigrant in one simple step:

I guess this is what they mean by an “Army of One,” as in one leg. Looks like you‘re on your own, soldier. Although, we do have plenty of new places to bury you:

With all the people being tasered to death, pepper spray ain’t lookin’ so bad:

You chose this man to be your husband,

Confirming with a kiss, as wedding bells ring.

He chose serving the state rather than you.

Now, it’s a pretty rag to which you cling.

Your choice- vote with your feet or fight them with your shoes:

Another look at the Constitution, perhaps? “Dad-gummit, it says right here, that little trip of mine to Vietnam was illegal.”

Have faith:

More proof that “Veterans’s Day” is just another “Pro-War Day.” Whatever happened to Armistice Day?

Increasing gas prices won’t halt High Culture in Bush’s America:

This is one way to slow down recruiting:

Join the military and get to play with some cool equipment:

The blind leading the blind:

Oh no! Who will now write the crap that fills the television airwaves? (OK, OK….I do miss my daily dose of Dave):

Voters were scarce this week. Let’s hope it continues:

Benny Hinn may soon be looking for healing.  That’s what happens when you sleep with the devil:

The Christo-fascists settle on a candidate:

Working hard to win hearts and minds (the book title says it all):

Sweet meat:

What can be accomplished when a people constructively spend their wealth, resources, and talent- rather than squander it on war making and empire:

It’s confirmed- The Emperor is a leg man:

City governments around the country continually debate hiring more police officers when the crime rate rises. Of course, all this accomplishes is increasing tax rates and increasing the revenue of donut shops.

An example of true crime control can be seen recently in Dallas, TX when a business owner shot and killed a burglar, not once, but twice in a month. This is one man that understands that the only person that can protect you and your property is you. As the gentleman’s neighbor puts it, “taking car of your own.”

Chicago, the City of Big Shoulders, is about to become the City of Big Tax Increases, as evidenced by Mayor Richard Daley’s proposed 2008 budget:

“Daley unveiled a proposed $5.9 billion budget plan Wednesday that contains $293 million in tax, fee and fine increases, including a $108 million property tax hike—a record amount for him. The owner of a $250,000 home would pay about $100 more a year under Daley’s proposal, according to city budget officials.”

(more…)

When businesses make mistakes they lose customers and therefore, revenue. Market forces mandate correcting those errors or the business will close. When government makes mistakes they are rewarded with increased funding.

So it goes with Hillary Clinton’s proposal for $10 billion to repair and replace U.S. bridges. All this “other people’s money,” of course, will be handed out to the same nitwits and incompetents who designed and built the bridges that have failed and are failing. Makes sense.

Here’s a chilling letter that state marshal Stephen R. Monier sent to Ed Brown.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Brown:

Proceedings in the U.S. District Court have now concluded. You have been convicted of felony offenses against the United States, and have now been sentenced to a period of confinement in the United States Bureau of Prisons. This is now a matter for the U.S. Marshals Service and their law enforcement partners.

As you both know, there are outstanding warrants for your arrests. To date, you have made statements threatening law enforcement if attempts are made to serve those warrants. This creates a public safety concern for the community and subjects both you, and anyone who may be assisting you with this obstruction of justice, to further prosecution.

Until they are served, these warrants are not going away, and neither is law enforcement. The United States Marshals Service has maintained an open line of communication with both of you. We have, and will continue to take, all reasonable steps to resolve this peacefully. But, in order to remedy the situation you have placed yourselves in, without subjecting yourselves to further liability, here is what you need to do:

1. Contact us to make arrangements, and

2. Surrender peacefully to the United States Marshals Service.

You have my assurance that you will be treated professionally, with courtesy and respect. This is the right thing for you to do, and I encourage you to do it.

Sincerely,Stephen R. Monier United States Marshal

Brown is steadfastly promising not to give up the loot. This letter from the government is utterly predictable and so much the more sad for it. The only way I can see any conflict being prevented is if there’s enough public opposition to this move by the marshal and the federal government. Let’s hope that whatever happens, Ed and his wife are safe and sound, and no one else gets hurt.

Moving between states is an exercise in getting nickled-and-dimed to death. While most businesses give you a pro-rated refund when you pay for something up front that you can no longer completely use, that money is gone once the state gets hold of it. For example, you typically pay for an auto registration or a nursing license in advance of the year it’s good for. If you move away the next day, you’re not getting any of that money back. Too bad. I chalk it up to typical government greed.

Here’s a new wrinkle: my son Tim obtained his learner’s permit in Colorado. Unfortunately, he hadn’t kept it long enough, and thus was unable to get his driver’s license in Colorado. Upon moving down to Texas, we found out that (a) he had to start all over, i.e. get his permit and wait another 6 months. And worse, (b) he would have to attend a driving school (and pay a large chunk of money). We would not be able to teach Tim ourselves–apparently you have to be a resident of the state of Texas (and driving) for at least three years before you’re qualified enough to instruct your children in driving.

I have no clue what the point of this law is. Maybe driving is just that much more difficult here for some reason, and I’ll find out in the next three years.