In a 15-0 vote this week the Keene city council has decided to put more money in the hands of local illegal drug dealers by banning synthetic drugs. The unintelligible seven-page ordinance proscribes fines in the hundreds of dollars and will result in the products being removed from local store shelves. While the concerned moms and dads pat themselves on the back for successfully achieving the illusion the drugs are no longer available, local drug dealers now have another product they can add to their repertoire.
Oh, and of course they can now raise the price so customers who are hooked will be more likely to steal and rob people to get money to continue their habit.
That’s right Keene councilors, you can make prohibition work this time!
If that weren’t what absurd enough, apparently city councilor/state rep Kris Roberts has proposed legislation to “remove the ability of anyone to challenge the city’s ordinance based on its lack of authority to enact it”. Hopefully that will go down in flames, but wow – talk about a power grab.
Here’s an article about the vote from the Keene Sentinel’s Kyle Jarvis: (more…)
As you know from day one of the “evidentiary hearing” in the Robin Hood case, the last thing that happened in court was that Pete filed a motion to remove his name from the case, since he has not been involved in Robin Hooding. The city’s hired-gun private attorneys filed an objection to that motion, stating that because Pete used a radio one time to announce the location of a parking enforcer and that he once had a conversation with one, that he must be considered part of the “civil conspiracy” and kept on the case. The judge denied Pete’s motion.
The last post I made about the case was regarding free speech attorney Jon Meyer’s motion to dismiss the case. Now the city’s attorneys have filed their objection. They claim they have a right to sue to protect their employees and that Meyer’s motion is improperly timed. They say they should be able to complete the evidentiary hearing before a motion to dismiss is entertained. Of course, there are two more full days of court slated for that evidentiary hearing, so that means more billable hours to the fancy private attorneys that the city people will force taxpayers to fund.
An interesting new twist has come to the case where a local man named Matthew Phillips has filed a “motion to intervene“, in an attempt to join the case as a defendant! Phillips makes the argument that since the city argued that Pete should stay as part of the case (when all he ever did was use a radio once and have a conversation with a PEO), that Phillips should be added as he claims to have Robin Hooded more than Pete. (more…)
I recently had a hearing at the DMV where the Keene police prosecutor, Jean Kilham, attempted to prove that I am a “resident” and that therefore I have to get a NH driver’s license. I argued that “residency” is something that one must voluntarily seek. Originally, Kilham had brought criminal charges against me for not getting a license, but then dropped them before the trial and told me she was going to go after me via a DMV administrative hearing as the burden of proof was lower.
She has succeeded, as expected, in having DMV administrator Michael King rule in her favor. According to his 12-page “Decision”, I will no longer have the “privilege” to drive in New Hampshire starting Novemeber 5th. The document does claim on the final page that there are “appeal rights” regarding the decision, as outlined by RSA 263:76. The word “rights” might make you think you have a right to appeal. However, on a trip to the Cheshire “superior” court, I was informed that there would be a $250 filing fee in order for me to use my “right” to appeal.
I filed a motion to waive the filing fee, citing that RSA 263 says the court “shall” rule in the case of appeal, which sounds obligatory. I also cite the NH constitution’s bill of rights, article 14, which states that legal remedies should be free. Finally, I cite a religious objection to funding an unjust and unfair system. Judge John C. Kissinger denied that motion citing Lamarche v McCarthy 158 N.H. 197 (2008). In that case, the NH Supreme court re-iterated several previous rulings that basically claim that NH Article 14 doesn’t say what it says. (more…)
My recent speeding ticket case in Hillsborough showed, yet again, that consent is not required for the state agents to act against your freedom, even though you are hurting no one. It even had a moment where a former police officer basically admitted knowing nothing about the constitution to which he supposedly swore an oath.
If you were fortunate enough to catch all of AKPF #1 special protest edition installment Aqua Kommunity Protest Fountain #1, then you had the opportunity to hear a conversation between merry person Garret and AKPF agent Jane regarding free will and predestination. In addition to the privilege of being exposed to complex philosophical positions, this visual piece also offers a window into the state of Robin Hooding and parking enforcement on July 25 2013, when this footage was captured. There’s plenty that could be said on the topic, considering that the concept of determinism was only briefly broached. Keep eyes out for further analysis to be published here. See the 8 1/2 minute illustrated segment embedded below:
Yesterday’s Ridley Report features an analysis of some United States history from the position of principled non-violent anti-aggressionism. It was produced in the wake of a tragic mass casualty shooting in the District of Columbia, which we have since discovered was perpetrated by a mentally disturbed veteran. Not knowing what the motivation for the attack was, the possibility that it may have been terrorism or an act of war lingered until details on the shooter emerged and were confirmed. Below is Ridley’s perspective on different aggressive incidents of modern history.
Today #S17 marks the second anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street protests in New York. USA Today reports crowds of around one hundred people gathered in Manhattan’s Zuccotti Park, participants report numbers approaching one thousand. Occupy New Hampshire would first assemble on the evening of October 6 2011.