Okay, right now I am sick. I go to the store to get more nasal decongestant, which means I will be buying a drug know as pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, or sudafed.

Now, I don't want is going on in Thailand or other countries, but here we have a meth problem. Sudafed can make meth, so, all the little junkies and dealers started buying or stealing sudefed. The store started to keep the sudafed behind the counter to stop people from stealing it. So, this is where I go.

The man behind the counter asks me if I have bought sudafed here before and asks to see my diver's license. I tell him I have and he "checks" the system. Well, I am not in it. So, my name, my address, and my telephone must be entered into the system to buy this sudafed. It's the law now, he says.

Once this in done he rings up my sudafed, but before we get to the part where I pay, I have to sign electroniclly that I am who I say I am and I am buying one box of sudafed. This is also entered into the system. NOW, I can buy my sudafed!

So, now a law has been passed and stores that sell sudafed must keep track of all those persons who buy the drug and how much of the drug they purchase each time they purchase it.

So, there is one more thing the gov gets to have power over and just one more thing they are watching. Big Brother doesn't want us doing meth so eveybody needs to supply personal information to a stranger behind a counter just so they can unstuff a stuffy nose. Why? All because of some fck wad with habit. I don't know who to more mad at.

Can you guess what country I live in?

Should I be nervous?

Som Nam Na!!!

Thats because you are living in a country, as well as I am, that has been ever so slightly eradicating the freedoms and liberties of it's citizens. This is nothing new and they have been doing it for some time now.

The reason for such actions is that in the minds of the true leaders of America, not Bush or Cheney but the people behind the scenes that you dont see, feel the majority of our citizens are ignorant, unreliable, dishonest & unable to make tough, rational decisions.

.I dont have a point to make here.

Thats because you are living in a country, as well as I am, that has been ever so slightly eradicating the freedoms and liberties of it's citizens.  This is nothing new and they have been doing it for some time now. 

The reason for such actions is that in the minds of the true leaders of America, not Bush or Cheney but the people behind the scenes that you dont see, feel the majority of our citizens are ignorant, unreliable, dishonest & unable to make tough, rational decisions. 

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Is it really these men behind the curtain we must worry about or our fellow countrymen? I know some laws get passed without the people knowing it, but many of them are demanded by Americans. Are some of us so afraid of what someone might do with their cold medicine that they are willing to allow the government to track our pharmaceutical purchases? I am just paranoid here or should I know that our government could find a way to use such information against us? I don't like drugs and I don't like junkies, but I really don't like having to identify myself to a perfect stranger everytime I make a purchase. What is next, NyQuil? Will the government want to register all tubes of KY so the public will know who's having anal sex? How much further will the government go into our personal lives and how far will our fellow Americans allow them that right?

.I dont have a point to make here.

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Okay.

So, why did you share that much? Why post at all?

I think you have something you want to say. Come on, don't be shy.

How much further will the government go into our personal lives and how far will our fellow Americans allow them that right?

They will go all the way my friend. No holds barred. Soon it will be mandatory to have microchips implanted into your hand to afford the government the ability to keep track of everything you are doing and everywhere you are going. A national ID card, thus eliminating a state identity or sovereignty, will probably also be forthcoming soon. TV cameras, already plentiful everywhere you look, will increase tenfold and also start to be hidden where you cant hide from them. Although its against the law now, soon the government will allow the US military to patrol our streets when they think its required. Patriot Act and similar laws to follow will give them the ability to barge into your house unannounced and without search warrant to rip through your things. All in the name of "national security".

In the end, the power *does* belong to the people, and all similar fascist states have collapsed in the past. It sucks to be living there in the present, though.

"Steven"

How much further will the government go into our personal lives and how far will our fellow Americans allow them that right?

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They will go all the way my friend. No holds barred. Soon it will be mandatory to have microchips implanted into your hand to afford the government the ability to keep track of everything you are doing and everywhere you are going. A national ID card, thus eliminating a state identity or sovereignty, will probably also be forthcoming soon. TV cameras, already plentiful everywhere you look, will increase tenfold and also start to be hidden where you cant hide from them. Although its against the law now, soon the government will allow the US military to patrol our streets when they think its required. Patriot Act and similar laws to follow will give them the ability to barge into your house unannounced and without search warrant to rip through your things. All in the name of "national security".

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I think your right on the money but a minute late. I am pretty sure all that you have mentioned has already happened (happening).

We may not have the v-chip under our tongues yet, but we have been reduced to a serial number they like to call a social security number. Of course that little bit of security has been bankrupt for years now, but they still use the number. My wife even has one and she' s not a citizen!

Speaking of which, my wife had lived here a long time now and she still hasn't become comfortable with the way things are done here. She tells me"You guys ask too many questions. Why do they do this? It's none of their business what I am buying or how I am paying for it." My wife is uncomfortable with her limited freedom here in the States. Wow. Land of the free indeed.

Sometimes the chaos that seems to be Thailand is a little unnerving and the idea of moving there worries me, however when I am reminded of things like this I think that that same "chaos" is something I can hide in and at least I'll have my freedom. Well, it was fun while it lasted.

Thailand is rapidly going in the same direction as the US under Thaksin. They already have advanced biocameras at immigration, and they seem to implement everything security-related the US suggests. If you want to stay here long term, you will find it very difficult to remain under the radar of the authorities. Africa, anyone?

Should I be nervous?

Only if you have a reason to be nervous...

Same thing happened to me while back when I had a bad cold.

Strolled on down to Wal Mart and the lady behind the Pharmacy counter says she's got to see my drivers license plus, I can only buy 2 packages of Sudafed a month or whatever.

Fine I says, keeps me from using that crap anyhow.

I'll go back to my Tiger Balm - works better and I'm saving $

Deal with it - it's a Brave New World boys...

Blame the lads at the meth labs - they are the ones responsible for your cold medicine woes.

Blame the lads at the meth labs - they are the ones responsible for your cold medicine woes.

That's right, Brit.

Seems like everybody wants to blame the government for everything these days. No personal responsibility taken. You want a society protected from the dangers of hard drugs (ain't talking about Pot here) you gotta have laws. These Meth labs not only destroy the environment with all the chemical residue left-overs they destroy the community where that crap is cooked.

Blame the lads at the meth labs - they are the ones responsible for your cold medicine woes.

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Ain't that the truth brit!

At least you guys in the USA can get these drugs.In NZ,the pharmacies were being burgled so much, that now most of them refuse to stock these drugs.

Can you guess what country I live in?

Should I be nervous?

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Yeah the new Soviet Union (aka US). Hopefully it will collapse in the same spectacular manner than its counterpart.

I'm sure registering customers have reduced burglerys too...

Bebop, I understand and agree with your point, but it is nothing new. Just another example of the decline of liberty and freedom.

OTOH, I would be inclined to say, som nom naa too.

Were I in such a situation, I would forgo a medicine I certainly never needed before, or probably didn't even exist when I was a kid, and stick with mint tea, tigerbalm, whatever... Or just let it pass...

You choose to agree to the terms and condiitons imposed by the government where you live, when you decide to go ahead with the purchase.

IM most HO...

Kayo/

Can you guess what country I live in?

Should I be nervous?

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Yeah the new Soviet Union (aka US). Hopefully it will collapse in the same spectacular manner than its counterpart.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wouldn't hold your breathe Butterfly...

Can you guess what country I live in?

Should I be nervous?

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Yeah the new Soviet Union (aka US). Hopefully it will collapse in the same spectacular manner than its counterpart.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I wouldn't hold your breathe Butterfly...

Can you guess what country I live in?

Should I be nervous?

Yeah the new Soviet Union (aka US). Hopefully it will collapse in the same spectacular manner than its counterpart.

Yeah, right...& this is the gratitude we get for all those "Bridges Too Far"...

move on man... That was another generation.

That generation were fighting for more just principles than what is happening now.

Somebody does me a good turn, I will always be grateful, but that doesn´t give that person a free pass to abuse of my gratitude in the future.

.

move on man... That was another generation.

That generation were fighting for more just principles than what is happening now.

Somebody does me a good turn, I will always be grateful, but that doesn´t give that person a free pass to abuse of my gratitude in the future.

.

So who is abusing who's gratitude here?

Mai Kho Jai...

Ahhh Operation Market Garden - take the bridges and cut off the Germans. Disaster - didnt realize a few elite panzer divisions were in the area.

What I mean is, If I understoo dyour "bridge too far" post, is ...

ok, america did us european some great turns in WWII right? I, and I think most of the world, however reluctantly, agree with that.

That war was unfortunately a necessary one, as many naitons and general world peace was at risk by the Nazi movement, right.

I´m not gettin ginto a debate about that here, but I`m writing this as background for my point.

So, ok, the US did us all a massive service for which we should remain grateful, for those actions, in those times.

That does not give the US a green card (PTP) to do whatever it likes in the future. (or in recent times)

So, what I meant was, when a friend does me a specific favour, of course I will remain grateful for that person´s actions no matter what, but that doesn´t mean that that person has the freedom to do anything he likes in the future, just because of a past action.

Or, to give you a more specific example, that happened recently_:

A guy from El Salvador who regularly came to visit our village, and was on eof our best customers, this guy we considered a good friend.

When Hurricane STan hit us, he was one of only two people who contacted us and offered us help, of the practical, financial side, and although we thanked him profusely, we said, "we´ll be alright".

ANyway, the guy did send us money from El salvador, which DID help the bar to remain afloat.

What a great turn.

Two weeks ago he moved here, and of course we were overjoyed to see him, and we invited him lots, and generally took him in as part of the family.

Unfortunately, he got into drinkng tooo much, and he mistakenly thought that we would babysit him, when he got arrested for misconduct, and when he stupidly got into the wrong crowd and started using hard drugs, and basically, his behaviour turned violent, erratic, and dangerous, to himself, and to us, and to the legal security of the bar.

We do not feel this 55 year old man had the right to impose dangers upon our livelihood just because he`d helped us in the past.

He did think so.

Sadly, until the guy calms down, we are no longer welcoming him.

I hope that is a bit clearly, moree concise.

Blame the lads at the meth labs - they are the ones responsible for your cold medicine woes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That's right, Brit.

Seems like everybody wants to blame the government for everything these days. No personal responsibility taken. You want a society protected from the dangers of hard drugs (ain't talking about Pot here) you gotta have laws. These Meth labs not only destroy the environment with all the chemical residue left-overs they destroy the community where that crap is cooked.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Blame the government I am not Boon, trust them I will also never do. What do you mean by personal responsibility? Buying sudafed isn't a crime, turning it in to meth is. So, is it my personal responsibility to give out personal information just in case I might make meth out of it because some junkie fck somewhere is going to do the same thing? Can meth dealers and junkies now use idenity theft to purchase sudafed? Is it now my personal responsibility if they use my information?

Blame the lads at the meth labs - they are the ones responsible for your cold medicine woes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Okay, that's fcked up. This frame of thinking might work for small groups like mitlitary or prisoners etc; but to say that because someone else comments a crime then everybody is gonna pay for is stupid. Because little Jimmy in class today had a toy in his desk than the whole class will be placed under surveilance. That just doesn't sound right.

Blame the lads at the meth labs - they are the ones responsible for your cold medicine woes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Okay, that's fcked up. This frame of thinking might work for small groups like mitlitary or prisoners etc; but to say that because someone else comments a crime then everybody is gonna pay for is stupid. Because little Jimmy in class today had a toy in his desk than the whole class will be placed under surveilance. That just doesn't sound right.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Exactly. Like taking away civil rights from citizens because a few terrorists had a little bit fun one morning on a plane.

Blame the lads at the meth labs - they are the ones responsible for your cold medicine woes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The lads at the meth labs are trying to increase your access to drugs...it's the gov't thats denying you access to drugs....blame the gov't.

All drugs should be legal.

What I mean is, If I understoo dyour "bridge too far" post, is ...

ok, america did us european some great turns in WWII right? I, and I think most of the world, however reluctantly, agree with that.

That war was unfortunately a necessary one, as many naitons and general world peace was at risk by the Nazi movement, right.

I´m not gettin ginto a debate about that here, but I`m writing this as background for my point.

So, ok, the US did us all a massive service for which we should remain grateful, for those actions, in those times.

That does not give the US a green card (PTP) to do whatever it likes in the future. (or in recent times)

So, what I meant was, when a friend does me a specific favour, of course I will remain grateful for that person´s actions no matter what, but that doesn´t mean that that person has the freedom to do anything he likes in the future, just because of a past action.

Or, to give you a more specific example, that happened recently_:

A guy from El Salvador who regularly came to visit our village, and was on eof our best customers, this guy we considered a good friend.

When Hurricane STan hit us, he was one of only two people who contacted us and offered us help, of the practical, financial side, and although we thanked him profusely, we said, "we´ll be alright".

ANyway, the guy did send us money from El salvador, which DID help the bar to remain afloat.

What a great turn.

Two weeks ago he moved here, and of course we were overjoyed to see him, and we invited him lots, and generally took him in as part of the family.

Unfortunately, he got into drinkng tooo  much, and he mistakenly thought that we would babysit him, when he got arrested for misconduct, and when he stupidly got into the wrong crowd and started using hard drugs, and basically, his behaviour turned violent, erratic, and dangerous, to himself, and to us, and to the legal security of the bar.

We do not feel this 55 year old man had the right to impose dangers upon our livelihood just because he`d helped us in the past.

He did think so.

Sadly, until the guy calms down, we are no longer welcoming him.

I hope that is a bit clearly, moree concise.

Very nice analogy Kayo; I think it describes how many people feel. I think it may be wasted on Boon Mee though, because it doesnt fit with his view of the world.

Let's dance!

Everybody get up and shake your booty.

Lets dance!