Toy store owner gets visit from Homeland Security agents!

[JT]

St. Helens, ORE- So far as she knows, Pefferbelly Toys owner Stephanie Cox hasn’t been passing any state secrets to sinister foreign governments or violating obscure clauses in the USA’s Patriot Act. So she was taken aback by a mysterious phone call form the US Department of Homeland Security to her small store in this quiet Columbia River town just north of Portland. “I was shaking in my shoes,” Cox said of the September phone call. “My first thought was the government can shut your business down on a whim. If I’m closed even for a day that would cause undue stress.” When the two agents arrived at the store, the lead agent asked Cox whether she carried a toy called the Magic Cube, which he said was an illegal copy of the Rubik’s Cube, one of the most popular toys of all time. The agents told her to remove the Magic cube from her shelves, and the agents remained to make sure Cox disposed of the merchandise.

This really happened. I feel so much safer now that we have the resources allotted for Homeland Security being used to protect me from evil, illegal copies of the Rubik’s Cube. Thank you John Ashcroft and the Bush administration for this much needed use of our security forces. :asshole2: 's

[normsbro]

the only reason why i could see the dept of homeland security got involved is that the money made from that item finds it's way into terrorist hands.

[JT]

Why don't you call up Pufferbelly Toys and ask them how much of thier profits from the Magic Cube was being funneled into terrorist organizations. Or better yet, ask her what this encounter made her think of how homeland security is being enforced. This happened. The government probably paid to fly those two agent all the way to Portland for this. It makes me wonder how many other ways Homeland Security forces are being misused. This woman is guilty of nothing other than selling clones of the Rubik's Cube; and how illegal could that possibly be?

[BirdieMod]

I don't get what a patented toy has to do with homeland securiy, Guess we now know what Idiot Bush actually has these morons working on.

[Chief]

Damn....reckon I can blame my JTAG woes on Bush? The sonofabitch, anyway... :mad:

Doesn't explain the DHS hassle, though...I'd say they've been breathing too much ash from that volcano....

[BirdieMod]

Mabey Bin Laden cloned it LMAO......... Those damn things could fustrate anyone to start with. I think we all snapped the thing apart to finally get it solved. :)

[mili]

You guys have an agency that has to get their nose into everything. It is a fact that they are looking into every fucking package going into the USA and one one occasion they not US CUstoms confiscated a shipment of mine a few months ago. I never knew that a Magic Card somehow posed a danger to the USA's national security. You guys live in one fucking police state. 1984 and the USSR was a joke compared to where the USA is headed. Land of the Free my ASS.

mili

[JT]

In the current environment, under the Bush administration, all a police agency has to do is lable you as a potential risk and your rights go out the window. All of a sudden there's no right to privacy, no right to a speedy trial (they no longer have to charge you with crime within 3 days or let you go), no need for a warrant for phone taps or searches of property.......the list goes on and on. The Patriot Act is anything but patriotic. The Patriot Act is Bush, Cheeny, and Ashcrofts baby. What does this say about their respect for the American public? We are going down an extremely slippery slope when we allow this kind of legislation to stand.

BTW- Because of the Patriot Act, you have no right to privacy online either. All email, web searches, etc. are fair game for review at any time by any police organization without warrant, without your knowledge and without you being charged with a crime.

Big Brother could be watching you right now.

[JT]

My original post was a word for word copy of an article that appeared in my local paper this morning. (I do not live very close to St. Helens, OR) Stephanie Cox can be reached in the following ways to verify that this event really did take place.

Pufferbelly Toys
1631 Columbia Blvd., Suite 1
St. Helens, OR 97051
1-503-366-3417
1-877-302-5706
1-503-366-3426 (Fax)

www.pufferbellytoys.com

[Chief]

Ya'll know where I stand politically - that doesn't, of course, mean I have to agree with every thing they say and do - I ain't a parrot, last time I looked...

Declaring war on terrorism is here, now, and it must continue. Kerry doesn't know his ass from third base when it comes to fighting this kind of war. His quote - "we must engage in a more SENSITIVE war on terrorism" - oh, puh-leeze :rolleyes:

And the Homeland Security nazis aren't much better. It's the same shit as passing a bunch of new anti-gun laws, the theory being that if AK47's are banned, then no law-abiding terrorist would ever consider using one....oh, me... :(

Do they really think confiscating Dishnet cards, Magic Cubes and wiretapping everyone in the country with a criminal record is going to stop anything?

Here's how you deal with terrorists: You put enough intelligence on the ground over in the part of the world where they operate from - Syria, Iran, whatever - and when you find out where they are - you kill their asses graveyard dead - with as much aggressiveness and violence as you can possibly muster. Islamic radicals understand one thing - brute force. They won't be negotiated with - they won't be reasoned with -and why this country fucks around with all these band-aid measures is beyond me... :mad:

[mili]

Because your country is obsessed with being politically correct.
Shooting some radical may be too harsh for the public. By the way I am sick of hearing the word "terrorist"
Bush is a religious fanatic and a dumb fuck to boot. While Kerry may be a pussy compared to the hawks that tell Shrubbery how to wipe his ass he at least has a fucking clue what war is like unlike the pampered son of Shrubbery Sr.

mili

[Chief]

Kerry at least has a fucking clue what war is like

mili

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....... :rolleyes:

Half the people on this site have more military experience than John Fonda Kerry...a four month Vietnam tour of duty doesn't qualify one presidential candidate over the other. Kerry may be qualified for office...half the country would agree with that statement...but if you vote for the guy based on his military expertise, you're an idiot.

Franklin D. Roosevelt never served a day in the military. Would you say he did a decent job guiding America through WW II ? I would...

As for politically correct...let us Southern folks have a crack at 'em...we ain't much into political correctness. :)

[JT]

Uh oh. I got Mili and Chief disagreeing. That can't possibly be good for my image. ....as if my image isn't already in the toilet. Sorry about that guys. :cool: That certainly wasn't my intention.

I do have a real problem with the bulk of the Patriot Act. It's not suprising that certain portions have already been declared unconstitutional, with most of the rest of it to be legally challenged in the future. On one level Mili is right about Americans always being politically correct. We are overly concerned with not offending people on a superficial leve. What we're so concerned about is mostly the petty shit that doesn't matter; gay marriage, many ACLU type arguements, religeous rhetoric, etc. On another level, we allow the Bush administration to operate under the umbrella of the Patriot Act, which gives the police carte blanche to violate your rights. The Bush administration gives tax breaks to the rich and encourages the oil/energy and pharmacutical companies to keep their prices high. Why? Because the men in power have stock in these companies and doing so keeps them among the wealthiest individuals in our country. This my friends, are a gross violation of my rights and is in every way politically incorrect in my very firm opinion. If were gonna start shooting radicals I have a good suggestion as to which one to start with....assuming he gets reelected. And a warning to those who would come gunning for me. I am heavily armed and been shooting since I was 7 years old. I have a concealed weapons permit and enough ammunition to hold off 30 people. I'm a better marksman than just about everyone I know and I WILL NOT CALL THE POLICE AND I WILL SHOOT BACK! Of course I mean all this metaphorically...although I can't guarantee it wouldn't go down exactly like that if I was really put to the test. Ruby Ridge happened in my 'back yard'. I've seen how gross a persons rights can be violated by agencies like the ATF and the FBI. Ok Chief, it's your turn again. Ruby Ridge happened under Janet Reno and the Clinton administration long before the Patriot Act was even drafted.

[bols2dawaLL]

jesus JT - all i have is a set of steak knives ,

[23dogs]

The Patriot Act undermines the freedoms the constitution is suppose to afford. The Bush war on terror is a political ploy to to stay in office. Every time an innocent Iraqi dies the potential for more terrorism increases. Ireland and Palestine are proof of this.

George Orwell wrote the book 1984--- the title was just twenty years off.

[robo]

been ther done that first gulf war seen alot of shit go done wuld not vote for kerry if he was the only person on the ballot fuck kerry

[Chief]

Uh oh. I got Mili and Chief disagreeing.

Hehehehe....best of friends hiss at each other on occasion...and besides, we love this shit. Mili and I have thrown political bombs at one another since we've been acquainted, so, bring it on, JT, my friend... :p

Remember, I do NOT get pissed over political discussions. I do NOT get pissed, so don't get pissed at me. I DO get excited, animated and very vocal... :)

What's this you say, my Ruby Ridge liberal buddy? "The men in power own stock in these companies, which makes them some of the wealthiest individuals in our country - this, my friends, is a gross violation of my rights"....

Are you on dope? :eek:

John Kerry and his old lady are billionaires...made from, ahem, dare I say it, STOCK in a company that, ahem, dare I say it, OUTSOURCES 2/3 of its jobs overseas? Oh, my, what a Republican thing to do...

JT, I own 200 shares of Halliburton stock that I purchased about the time Clinton was reelected.

How?

Do I have covert ties to this horrific, underhanded, money-grubbing outfit?

No - I did what any other red-blooded American has the right to do - I marched my ass into a brokerage house and wrote 'em a check.
I am financially stable, but as working middle class as they come - I work more in a day than most kids work in 3...and anyone like me can do the same thing, if they feel Halliburton and all the Capitol Hill fat cats are gettin' it all....

Your turn...and point all those guns of yours up, and down range, will you? :D

[JT]

[QUOTE=Chief]

Are you on dope? :eek:

Why yes, sometimes I am. Does that make me a bad person?

John Kerry and his old lady are billionaires...made from, ahem, dare I say it, STOCK in a company that, ahem, dare I say it, OUTSOURCES 2/3 of its jobs overseas? Oh, my, what a Republican thing to do...

Well, you got me there. I still think it's a lesser offence than Bush/Cheeny's oil ties.


Do I have covert ties to this horrific, underhanded, money-grubbing outfit?

I never thought for a second you did.

No - I did what any other red-blooded American has the right to do - I marched my ass into a brokerage house and wrote 'em a check.
I am financially stable, but as working middle class as they come - I work more in a day than most kids work in 3...and anyone like me can do the same thing, if they feel Halliburton and all the Capitol Hill fat cats are gettin' it all....


Your turn...and point all those guns of yours up, and down range, will you? :D

I hope it's ok for a liberal to also be a gun nut. Too bad if it's not I guess. I do a lot of hunting. I don't have to go far. If I want deer, pheasant, turkey or other upland game I don't even need to get in my car and drive anywhere. I just take a walk. Sometimes I can get elk within walking distance, but only if the snow pushes them down early.

:p :cool: :p I'm a safety nut when it comes to firearms, so please realize that I was just talking a big line of hoo hoo in my earlier post. I've never have and most likely never will point any firearm at anyone. ...not that the thought hasn't crossed my mind. :)

[Morpheux]

I personally believe in freedom of information as long as is done without malice (not singleing out anyone), you should be able to spy on the goverment as much as they can spy on you, you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear.

We should have the right to tap dn and dave's signal too, you never know what scrambled terrorist messages are coming down their stream.

[Chief]

We should have the right to tap dn and dave's signal too, you never know what scrambled terrorist messages are coming down their stream.

Now, that's a first...maybe those unfortunate enough to receive "the letter" can use terrorism as a line of defense when Dave takes 'em to court.... :p Well, you never know !

JT, if I can ever get you to smile and lighten up, I'll feel as if I cracked the P4 wide open... :D
You ain't as liberal as you think you are, and I'm sure I'm not that conservative, either. I'd vote the Magic Card developer into office if I thought he could do a better job....I'm not ecstatic about little George either....but KERRY? Let me ask you this -would you want him running this website? :p

And don't worry, I'll turn my head while you sneak a hit...HAHAHA

[JT]

Let me ask you this -would you want him running this website? :p



Well, if your gonna put it that way.... :rolleyes: :p I'm smiling right now :) see

I'm gonna get serious again now though. Would you vote Jesse Ventura if it was an option? I almost think I would. I for sure like him better than both Kerry and Bush. It's a crazy concept but I really like the guy. I don't think it would ever work though. Ventura is just to honest and in a debate he'd probably body slam his opponent! Now that I'd like to see. Talk about a PPV event. The WWF presents "The grudge match for control of the free world featuring Jessy "The Body" Ventura vs. ??????"....who ever the poor victim would be. We'd know who was tougher for sure after a debate like that wouldn't we? :p

[BirdieMod]

The entire political system is basically a frickin Monkey show. We are in deep shit with either of these two Idiots this time around.
Did anyone notice Old man Bush is the only ex president who didn't do shit for this country since his term ended, Must just be counting all his oil money as it's making him richer by the day. Ford, And Betty ford, Rehab foundation, Carter stayed active with helping peace, Reagan etc. Clinton kept us entertained with his oral office story, Bush didn't do anything. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree, SO bet GW doesn't do shit either after. He blinks too much anyway, Blinks when he lies. Watch the pile of shit once.
I'm not implying Kerry, I think that fucker is so stupid he cannot tie his own shoes either.
His running mate John Kerry you can thank for sueing the USA company that used to make the flu shots, They quit after losing 5 million to his case. Thank Kerry for fucking that up as you sit sick.
I don't know how i'll vote Tuesday, How can you vote for the less of 2 morons???
This country is in for a rough 4 years again.

[Chief]

Would you vote Jesse Ventura if it was an option?

I'd consider it... :p And it IS an option. Write in whoever you like. :)

My Dad was a pro wrestler years ago (for real) and he went nuts when Ventura was elected. I remember when Ventura attended his very first Governor's Ball gala affair in Washington...he was asked by someone in the media what his very first impression was when he first walked in. His reply? "My FIRST thoughts? That I can whip anybody's ass in this place".

You gotta love a guy like that.... :)