Has anyone been surprised by the events of the last 1 1/2 years?

[Vernon Windsor]

Given the news of the past year and a half, have you been surprised at what has been going on in our country politically? Did you foresee the events that have taken place or are you taken aback for one
reason or another?

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

Yup. it's a problem alright, eh? Being polite is the best cover ever invented!

[larry kremis]

I think ZenDog's talking about Muslim terrorists who were busted trying to cross over into Washington state a couple of years ago.

[Merry]

LOL, you know what they say Larry, just because you're paranoid , doesn't mean no one is out to get you!

[ZenDog]

Actually I'm in Vermont. The area between the Great Lakes and Maine is in places quite desolate. We've had everything from local entrepreneurs busted in multi-million dollar hash rings between Quebec/Vermont; Haitians fleeing the quake zone; Russian mobsters; international snake heads and even the occasional terrorist. The terrorist was several years ago.

I'm fairly certain the hash bust was nothing more than local mobsters cultivating enterprise that they could use later as a bargaining chip to secure their other interests . . . though it did have all the appearance of simple incompetence. If I remember right they were unloading bricks of hash into zodiacs or something - but no one bothered to examine the specs and when the boat got overloaded it sank.

Something like $50 million dollars worth of hash too - so they'd been at it awhile.

[ZenDog]

And then there is the Akwesasne Indian Reservation and the surrounding communities that have seen a number of murders over the last couple of decades, many of which remain unresolved. Malone comes to mind.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 15, 2009 FOLLOWING THE DISCOVERY OF THE LARGEST MARIJUANA RING IN UPSTATE NY: SCHUMER UNVEILS LEGISLATION TO INCREASE PENALTIES ON PEOPLE WHO SMUGGLE DRUGS THROUGH INDIAN RESERVATIONS


CNY Drug Ring Sold Between $300 Million and $700 Million Worth of Marijuana In Ten Years, the Largest Drug Ring Ever Detected in Upstate NY

Akwesasne Reservation is The Only Indian Reservation That Straddles The U.S.-Canada Border Making it a Prime Location For Trafficking For People All Over The State

http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/record.cfm?id=320789

Naturally what we should expect is that this pressure will push traffic onto the Great Lakes, possibly even shifting revenues and power from NY to Chicago . . .

[ZenDog]

Speaking of Chicago - has there been a statistical blip in the numbers of kids shooting each other there? And if so is this some sort of amorphous attempt at pressure on members of the current admin?

[CWO3ROBBIE]

i'M SOMEWHAT SURPRISED THAT nANCY IS ABOVE YOU

[ZenDog]

Nancy? What have I missed?

[Merry]

Zen, one page back. A lengthy post regarding the loss of a friend who is a liberal.

[Dazzling Zoomer Gal Diana]

Douglas and I meant this (are doctors and nurses being guaranteed megabucks) a tad facetiously folks (mind - it's true), I was cooking and he was on line (the things we do in the kitchen ;) or at least I did - as I dictated that last line. Zen of course is 100% correct, and wherever there is a boarder there are always going to be problems. Sometimes, injecting a bit of levity around these parts, just fails miserably. Especially it seems when I try and pull it off. :(

Sorry. Sorry.

[Slayer Dug]

Yes, we were having a wonderful time together!!! It's a pity people don't get your dry sense of humour.

[P.A.]

bump nancy