Tag Archives: Rant

Campaign For Liberty, Stop Calling Me!

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So, back in 2007 I actually liked what Ron Paul had to say. I liked how he answered questions, but who knows… I also liked what Ross Perot had to say. In fact, maybe it’s just the R.P. initials that makes me interested. We’ll find out for sure if Ru Paul becomes a candidate…

Anyway… I made the mistake of contributing a very small donation to Ron Paul’s campaign. Well, Ron Paul became the Campaign for Liberty and now, they somehow think I want to be a member. And they won’t stop calling me.

I’ve asked them 5 times, left messages, sent emails… but the calls keep coming. So, today I tried a new approach. I’m demanding money from them. Here’s the letter:

March 25, 2009

Campaign for Liberty
Attention: Amanda Lee
6186 Old Franconia Rd Ste B
Alexandria VA 22310

Dear Amanda Lee,

Pursuant to provisions provided to me by the laws of the State of Florida and the United States of America, I hereby demand that you cease and desist making phone calls to me and provide immediate payment in the amount of $3,000.00 USD.

Payment to me in the amount of $3,000.00 USD and the ceasing of all phone calls will satisfy this issue. Non-compliance of my request by April 30, 2009 will result in the filing of a civil suit seeking the full fines/penalties afforded to me by law; well in excess of the amount requested above.

This document has been sent after requesting verbally, via your message system and live agents, that phone calls stop no less than 5 times; starting from February 12, 2009 through March 25, 2009. A list of known calls:

  • 2009-02-12 16:26:45 2027309944
  • 2009-02-17 06:10:24 2027309944
  • 2009-03-07 08:22:16 2027309944
  • 2009-03-11 17:40:47 2027309944
  • 2009-03-13 12:10:02 2027309944
  • 2009-03-14 08:14:02 2027309944
  • 2009-03-16 16:58:29 2027309944
  • 2009-03-17 06:44:17 2027309944
  • 2009-03-18 12:00:50 2027309944
  • 2009-03-21 08:40:51 2027309944
  • 2009-03-24 13:12:56 2027309944
  • 2009-03-25 10:53:58 2027309944

Payment should be made to:

Fred Posner
My Address

Very Truly Yours,

Fred Posner

Let’s see what happens.

Selected Quotes about Government

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Dealing with Ann Arbor’s Downtown Development Authority (the A2DDA) definitely elicits an emotional response. Sadly, the happy emotions did not make the cut. Anyway, the experience finds me recollecting some of my favorite government quotes…

When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty. — Thomas Jefferson

The point to remember is that what the government gives it must first take away. — John S. Caldwell

We are all born ignorant, but one must work hard to remain stupid. — Benjamin Franklin

The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. — Thomas Jefferson

I am for doing good to the poor, but…I think the best way of doing good to the poor, is not making them easy in poverty, but leading or driving them out of it. I observed…that the more public provisions were made for the poor, the less they provided for themselves, and of course became poorer. And, on the contrary, the less was done for them, the more they did for themselves, and became richer. — Benjamin Franklin

It is the first responsibility of every citizen to question authority. — Benjamin Franklin

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. — Benjamin Franklin

Never trust a government that doesn’t trust its own citizens with guns. — Benjamin Franklin

Once upon a time, government budgets were balanced, our money was sound, the streets were safe, and taxes imposed by all levels of government took less than 10% of our income. — Harry Browne

Ann Arbor Blocks My Parking App

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Ann Arbor DDA, you massively fail. If you were a ship, you’d be the titanic…

Can you believe in today’s world that a government agency would conspire and discuss the control of public information? What if that information was a top secret as… parking space availability?

I’ve posted an article on VoIP Tech Chat detailing the Ann Arbor DDA doing just that. My response to them is at the end… Please enjoy.

Read the article on VoIP Tech Chat

Movies of 2008

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Fred saw Iron Man in 2008

Fred saw Iron Man in 2008

I’ve said it before — I love movies. I simply love movies. Sure, not all movies receive my love; horror films and I never got along (except I did like Scream). And sadly, my sister and I have our movie senses switched as I like a good chick flick and she likes the scary ones. But as usual, I digress…

Back in 2002, when I was first posting rants online, I posted a little mini-rant about seeing movies in the theater (the site’s been through so many changes since then that I reposted back in 2007). When I was a kid, and even through high school, seeing movies in the theater brought great joy — even the bad ones. The bad ones? Yes Virginia, even seeing a bad movie in the theater was once a fun thing to do (I remember very well a loud, applauding standing ovation given to the movie Warlock when it ended; wow that was a bad movie). Anyway, I don’t know if it’s getting older, or adding commercials, or even changes in culture, but at this point, I’d much rather wait a few months, pop the film into the DVD, and watch it at home.

Maybe it’s because since 2002 I’ve had big wide-screen TV’s… or maybe it’s because in 2003 I bought that Bose system I always wanted… but nonetheless, if I could choose between watching a film at the house on my couch or going to see one in the theaters, 9 times out of 10 I’ll choose the house. Now I have made exceptions… I absolutely wanted to see the Star Wars films on the big, big screen… and Spider-man… and well most comic book films.

Which brings us back (thank God) to the point of this post… the movies I’ve seen in 2008.

Out of all the films that came out in 2008 (here’s the highest grossing 400 of them), I only saw a whopping four (4) of them. How sad is that? I’ve only seen 4 of the movies that came out in 2008. And out of those four, I saw only one of them in the theater (Iron Man). 

There were many more I’d like to have seen (and still would) such as Hancock, Indiana Jones, Dark Knight, WALL-E, Quantum of Solace, etc. But as of this post, these are the four I’ve seen, along with my patent pending 10 word or less review:

  • 27 Dresses
    Chick Flick complete with typical bar song singalong. Ok.
    Yeni says: “It was good. I liked it. Girly movie.” 
     
  • 21
    A little slow and long, but good nonetheless.
    Yeni says: “I slept through that movie.” 
     
  • Iron Man
    Excellent film. Must stay until after the credits.
    Yeni says: “Good. Fred loves it. I just like it.” 
     
  • The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
    What? Really? How? Well, I saw it in Spanish.
    Yeni says: “Overacted. Like they don’t know how to act.” 

Fred goes out to a movie

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iron manIf you know me at all, you know I love movies. I mean, I REALLY love movies. But that aside, I no longer enjoy going to the movies. Maybe it’s me getting older… maybe it’s because I love my big-mama tv… or maybe it’s because I’m just a grumpy stubborn man, but it’s rare for me to want to go to the movies rather than see it at the house.

To get me out of the house and paying 11 bucks for a movie… it has to be a movie that excites me (like Iron Man, but let’s talk about that later). I mean after-all, for just 3 bucks more than a ticket price, I can sit in the comfort of my own home, have the ability to pause (rewind, etc), and more importantly – not deal with people.

I truly cannot remember the last time I was at a movie when someone didn’t use their cellphone. Ugh. But at least I know it’s a common problem, because now after some of the movie commercials, you get those director PSAs reminding you to shut off your cellphone. Normally, I always see Sydney Pollack… but today I saw Martin Scorsese’s version (I truly love Scorsese).

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