quote:

Just heard on the news the other day that a higher precentage of Americans are currently in jail or on probation than at any time in our history.

If all states would actually enforce the death penalty, these numbers would come down.

With over 300 million people living in the USA, what makes any one of us so special?

When my son was in college, he complained to me about the cops always pulling him over and messing with him for "no good reason." I asked him if he thought if any of the following facts had something to do with this issue: 1.) He drove a POS (Piece Of S**t). 2.) He never washed the POS. 3.) He seldom had current tags on the POS, due to smog check problems, due to #4. 4.) The POS had a NOS system, visable thru the rear window. 5.) He had numerous parking tickets. 6.) He was a college kid, out very late at night. I suggested he sell the POS. About a year ago he bought a nice looking car, he washes it and keeps current tags on it and has not been pulled over once. As chippysgt said, probable cause (PC) is needed. Take away PC, as my son did, and your "concerns" go away. Whenever a cop has pulled me over, I deserved it, and they have always been very professional. Normally with police, at the very worse, you get what you give.

I am not so sure that people come here because it is so 'great'. I think they come here in part because of that belief, but I think a larger reason is that it is extremely difficult to get citizenship in most countries. For all of the complaining that you hear about obtaining citizenship in the US, it is much easier to get citizenship in the here than in most other places.

Take Denmark, for example, which was recently featured on 60 minutes for having the 'happiest' population in all of the industralized countries in the survey. They have many requirements they before allowing citizenship. Here are a few:

Learning to speak Danish at a 10th grade level (and passing a test to prove it).
Working for nine years in Denmark.
Accepting no aid from the government for the nine years that you are working.
Committing no crimes during that time period.
Renunciation of citizenship of your former country.

The list goes on... you can read more here:

http://www.inm.dk/en-us/citizenship/danish_nationality/..._to_be_satisfied.htm

Once citizens, they have portable vacation time, with a minimum of five weeks per year that accrues continuously without limitation. 6 months PATERNAL leave for having a child. Eldercare support. Subsidized childcare. Free college (with built in grade minimums for educational assistance to continue). Free healthcare. World class public transit.

As one of the college kids said on 60 minutes as an explanation as to why the country rates so high on the 'happy scale', "In a way, the moment we are born, we are rich [because of these benefits]."

I agree that the American culture is unique, and perhaps we are lucky in some ways, but I'm not sure that is why people are 'flocking' here.

quote:

Originally posted by HB Phil:
Civil rights, Religious rights, Womens Rights, Workers/Laborers Rights, EEO, Rights for the handicapped and the Aged... they have all gone backwards since 1900...?

Please, name just one area of Human Rights that has not progressed significantly in the U.S,. since 1900...

Sounds like so much irrational hatred of the U.S. Govt rather than the true historical facts about the progress of Human Rights in the U.S.

Oppressed folks from around the world have always are flocked to the U.S. seeking Asylum from oppression around the world.

You'll never know just how good you have it.

quote:

Originally posted by Pat1:
I have to agree with geysergazers on this one. We can ague all day about victimless crimes which is an opinion because there is already laws against the other activities that have been stated and they are different acts. The bottom line is that our rights as stated by the constitution have been degraded since 1900 and wether or not this is to our detrement of benifit can be argued.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Fulltimer Wannabe,

Wannabe,

Yes, people from all over the world want to "flock" here and they always have. That fact has nothing to do with how easy or difficulty it is to become a citizen.

It has EVERYTHING to do with the Statue of Liberty in New York harbor and it always has.

Yes, there is freedom in Denmark now and yes there is a high standard of living, but that wasn't alway the case, neither there nor anywhere else....except here!

One can not know just how valuable a commodity is until they do not have it!

We have such individual freedom here that ANYONE who can work can, both financially and socially, improve themselves, their families and their children lives.

That, my friend, is what has historically made us different than the rest of the world. That is why so many people want to come here.

If you get a chance sometime visit the Check Point Charlie Museum in Berlin. Freedom is more than just important, it is vital!

JMHO

Steven Ball

Unlike the U.S., with all of those criteria to become a citizen, it sounds like Denmark is not a very welcoming place for outsiders to migrate to. No place in the world gives the poor guy a (equal opportunity) chance to make something of themselves like the USA.

Hate is an irrational emotion, no matter the true facts of the matter.

I guess it's best to just let folks stew in their own misery.

So, what does Denmark have to do with Boondocking? This post should be on a non-RV board, IMHO.

If you notice Shaham said the parking lots of big jobs - I suspect he's in construction and parking on the site to save money, not staying at an RV Park.

Barb

Read this info in an e-zine today:


"Is the government watching you?
When it comes to the FBI, some people get a little nervous. Most of the time, that’s probably deserved. They've done something wrong. Perhaps their picture is on the bulletin board at the post office. There could be a reward for their capture. Most of us know we have nothing to worry about. But that doesn't mean the FBI doesn't have files on us! Maybe you were involved in a protest or a civil rights march. Or, maybe you know someone the FBI deemed a person of interest. Then, you might have a file.
Now that I've piqued your interest, head over to today's Cool Site. Use it to generate a letter requesting your file. Send it off to the FBI. While you're at it, send letters to the CIA and other agencies. What the heck, something might turn up. All of this is made possible by the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act.
TO VISIT TODAY'S COOL SITE, GO HERE: www.getmyfbifile.com "

If you have a INS number or Social Security Admin number, been in the military or have gotten a background check and/or security clearnace, the Govt has a file on you.

But I doubt that means that the Govt is conducting satelite surveillance of your boondocking campsite.

quote:

Originally posted by JM:
Read this info in an e-zine today:


"Is the government watching you?
When it comes to the FBI, some people get a little nervous. Most of the time, that’s probably deserved. They've done something wrong. Perhaps their picture is on the bulletin board at the post office. There could be a reward for their capture. Most of us know we have nothing to worry about. But that doesn't mean the FBI doesn't have files on us! Maybe you were involved in a protest or a civil rights march. Or, maybe you know someone the FBI deemed a person of interest. Then, you might have a file.
Now that I've piqued your interest, head over to today's Cool Site. Use it to generate a letter requesting your file. Send it off to the FBI. While you're at it, send letters to the CIA and other agencies. What the heck, something might turn up. All of this is made possible by the Freedom of Information Act and the Privacy Act.
TO VISIT TODAY'S COOL SITE, GO HERE: www.getmyfbifile.com "

....IF I knew that there was a satellite looking an me I'd MOON then -then wait till I get a notice that I blinded the monitor watcher!.....HA HA HA.....serves them right! A 63 year old man with a smiley face pointed directly at them!.....HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.....geofkaye

quote:

Originally posted by shaman:
... had been in town THREE DAYS and took a showcall to last two weeks and was gonna then be gone. no tickets there but it was a hassle.

im just a regular guy trying to make a living.

I may have mentioned this elsewhere...

I am an independent IT contractor, and my hourly rate is appropriately obscene, but suffice it to say, I advise anyone working away from their domicile state to go thru a company that will handle your benefits, W-2, contract admin chores (for 5% of my gross),,, AND it's perfectly legal to work on a "temporary" assignment in another state (or country, for that matter), as long as the "umbrella" company I work for is licensed to operate in the "other" state, provice, country!

My very first assignment was for over 2 years, and we parked our RV at a county park with full hookups (so never had the boondock issue of needing to visit RV dumps, etc.); currently, have been in Alabama (our 3rd onsite visit to Hoover RV park), going on 3 weeks, but hope to leave soon, so we can visit Mom in her Alz. assisted-living home, maybe get the Smart-deck built, re-visit the NH factory for warranty repairs, etc., etc.

I'd suggest you NOT represent yourself as an employee if you're away from Texas -- you are a "consultant" or "independent contractor", itinerant worker, going to where you are needed.

Just a couple thoughts, to "smooth" the way...

Cheers,
Don

Unfortuneately, mother nature can call most urgently while road running long distances, necessitating nature stops at some of the darndest places.

If there is not enough cover for full concealment, I conceal my head/face in whatever brush cover is available, rather than the other way around. That way no one can see me.

quote:

Originally posted by KAYERIVERCITY:
....IF I knew that there was a satellite looking an me I'd MOON then -then wait till I get a notice that I blinded the monitor watcher!.....HA HA HA.....serves them right! A 63 year old man with a smiley face pointed directly at them!.....HA HA HA HA HA HA HA.....geofkaye

This message has been edited. Last edited by: HB Phil,

Hello;

Sydbette, h2guy, LindaH, Journeyon, those are the sleepy type of attitude the government is counting on.
I’m not the type of person that is looking for the "BIG BROTHER POLICE" behind every tree. But in the article the writer gives an example of

"A guy that's got a flat tire outside a nuclear facility in one location means nothing," said Thomas E. Bush III, the FBI's assistant director of the criminal justice information services division. "Run the guy and he's had a flat tire outside of five nuclear facilities and you have a clue."

How did they put this info together in the first place, if not but by running plates or SSN's.

If this isn't scary enough, read the BUSH style of the PATERIOT ACT.
Under this act you have NO civil freedom...

Scratch

It used to be (say 1900?) that surveillance was a social thing - nobody did anything in town without everybody knowing about it. Strangers were always considered suspicious until they became known.

These days, the communities are a bit larger. IN some cities, there are patrols using TV cameras that detect license plate tags and run them against the database to see if there is a problem.

Any anyone can get a satellite view, perhaps even a streetside view, of a house or campground to see what is there - although it may be a bit dated.

The issue with any surveillance is not that someone is watching but rather what that someone does with what they learn. This has always been a difficult issue and it might be possible that newer technology at least makes the information more reliable so errors are reduced.

It is the action taken that should be the worry. I fear that there is so much emphasis and concern about surveillance that it tends to hide real abuse. Whether it is a midnight 'bust in the doors at the wrong house' search or a strip search of a 13 y/o girl on the allegation of a schoolmate or even the speed trap problem - the issue isn't someone actually observing but rather what they do with the information they get.

Pieces of your life is out there in someone's memory. Technology is making it ever easier to put all the pieces together. Some use that sort of learning about you to better serve you and your needs. Others use it for more malicious purposes.

Our society is getting back to the small town where even your spousal relationships could be the source of gossip. Fortunately, we also have evolving standards about civility and appropriate privacy supported by a sense of outrage coupled with lawfare.

The issue for us it to make sensible and rational decisions about just how paranoid we should be and about what.

.....I'm to the age where I don't really give a damn what others think!...[or If they can think]..I used to ....and life wasn't any better-now I do what I want and say what I want[this gives Kellie heart palps]but she gets over it and I continue to be myself......geofkaye

quote:

Originally posted by scratch&goose:
Hello;

Sydbette, h2guy, LindaH, Journeyon, those are the sleepy type of attitude the government is counting on.
I’m not the type of person that is looking for the "BIG BROTHER POLICE" behind every tree. But in the article the writer gives an example of

Dang Sparky, do you believe everything thats written out there???????