Local NH press starting to get irritated

[Demosthenes]

Party time? The Browns get down

12 hours, 47 minutes ago

U.S. MARSHAL Steve Monier has been admirably restrained in his handling of Ed and Elaine Brown, the convicted tax cheats holed up in their Plainfield home. However, with the Browns now having held two concerts at their home to raise awareness of their crazy cause and lure in more bystanders to serve as a buffer between them and the law, patience with these criminals ought to be drawing to an end.

To be clear, we don't recommend an armed confrontation. Ed Brown is looking for any excuse to transform himself from criminal to martyr, and Monier is smart not to give him the chance.

Still, letting Brown get away with holding concerts at his property is inviting disaster.

The more useful idiots the Browns can convince to rally to their cause, the more problematic the standoff becomes. Before you know it, some kook with a gun could take it upon himself to avenge the Browns, and suddenly you've got bloodshed.

And the longer the standoff lasts, the better chance it has of generating national news, as more media come to cover the Presidential candidates. That will only bring more kooks to the cause.

If Monier has a safe way of isolating or extracting the Browns, now would be a good time to do it. If this ridiculous situation lasts into the fall, it could become a very big problem.

And thinking of Presidential candidates, any who voice support for the Browns ought to be considered unqualified for the White House. This is not a legitimate tax protest. It's a con game. Any candidate who sees anything different doesn't have the judgment necessary to be dog catcher.

The comments are even more interesting than the article:

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx ... 9a29b4eb55

[Evil Squirrel Overlord]

What facts are real? Did you know the judge owns land near the Browns? (Salem Witch Trials anyone) We in New Hampshire HAVE the Right to Rebel per our State Constitution...
- Samuel Austin, Manchester, NH

Point 1: The judge owns land "near" the Browns? Is he implying that the judge should live outside the county in which he presides?



Point 2: Well what do you know?

June 2, 1784

[Art.] 10. [Right of Revolution.] Government being instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security, of the whole community, and not for the private interest or emolument of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the people may, and of right ought to reform the old, or establish a new government. The doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power, and oppression, is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.

[Demosthenes]

What facts are real? Did you know the judge owns land near the Browns? (Salem Witch Trials anyone) We in New Hampshire HAVE the Right to Rebel per our State Constitution...
- Samuel Austin, Manchester, NH

Point 1: The judge owns land "near" the Browns? Is he implying that the judge should live outside the county in which he presides?



Point 2: Well what do you know?

June 2, 1784

[Art.] 10. [Right of Revolution.] Government being instituted for the common benefit, protection, and security, of the whole community, and not for the private interest or emolument of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered, and all other means of redress are ineffectual, the people may, and of right ought to reform the old, or establish a new government. The doctrine of nonresistance against arbitrary power, and oppression, is absurd, slavish, and destructive of the good and happiness of mankind.

Supreme Court Justice Breyer owns 500 acres anda summer home directly across the street from the Browns.

[webhick]

whenever the ends of government are perverted, and public liberty manifestly endangered

But that only applies to the state government (and subsequently town governments), not the federal government, right? The Feds convicted him, the Feds are trying (haha) to take him into custody. The guy is a moron.

Besides, if a few dozen whackjobs with guns decide to overthrow the government...I'm getting a passport and leaving country. Someone like Ed being in charge would be a million times worse than what we have now.

[silversopp]

Besides, if a few dozen whackjobs with guns decide to overthrow the government...

Given the intelligence level of the TP whackjobs, I think a great opportunity would present itself if they managed to overthrow the government. Shouldn't be too hard for someone as clever as you to work your way to the top.

[webhick]

Besides, if a few dozen whackjobs with guns decide to overthrow the government...

Given the intelligence level of the TP whackjobs, I think a great opportunity would present itself if they managed to overthrow the government. Shouldn't be too hard for someone as clever as you to work your way to the top.

Awww. It's an insult wrapped in a compliment (Sure webhick! They're so dumb even you can pull one over on them!) I know that's not the way you meant it.

For my first order as your President, some construction will be undergone in the oval office. First of all, I want corners. 8 of them. And we're going to rename it the "hexagonal orifice". (yes, I realize that a hexagon has only 6 sides, but I like the shape of the octagons and "hex" is just too cool a word to ignore) I've noticed in a lot of movies that you can't see the door too easily. That's bad for me. We're going to put a few neon pink flamingos where the door is. Naked pink flamingos. Nothing tasteful allowed in my office... I mean orifice. Speaking of which, there will be three stripper poles installed (one on each side of my desk and one in front). They will be manned at all times. A 236 speaker stereo system with 32 weapons-grade subwoofers will be installed. Strippers need music. Also, we're going to have to move the orifice entirely. I want an ocean view. Preferably one in a more temperate climate. But nowhere where I'd actually have to learn how to swim. That would be bad. I sink. Something to do with the gravitational trajectory of a zip-loc baggie. Don't ask.

[grammarian44]

Supreme Court Justice Breyer owns 500 acres anda summer home directly across the street from the Browns.

I'm surprised to learn that Justice Breyer is presiding of the Browns' district court case. Is there just not enough to do on the Supreme Court? Is he moonlighting or something?

[grixit]

For my first order as your President, some construction will be undergone in the oval office. First of all, I want corners. 8 of them. And we're going to rename it the "hexagonal orifice". (yes, I realize that a hexagon has only 6 sides, but I like the shape of the octagons and "hex" is just too cool a word to ignore) I've noticed in a lot of movies that you can't see the door too easily. That's bad for me. We're going to put a few neon pink flamingos where the door is. Naked pink flamingos. Nothing tasteful allowed in my office... I mean orifice. Speaking of which, there will be three stripper poles installed (one on each side of my desk and one in front). They will be manned at all times.

Ok, but as president, it would be considered harrassment to put any interns, aides, cabinet members or secret service agwents on those poles. You'll have to use men who are either not in government or are of similar rank to you. So that means senior senators or reps, former presidents, or high profile former presidential candidates. That would be some audition. "Ok Newt, you're up. Change into this neon jockstrap, get out their and flex!"

Oh wait i just thought of another source of talent: foreign ambassadors. Hah, think of Italy and Sweden in a dance off.

[Lambkin]

I'm surprised to learn that Justice Breyer is presiding of the Browns' district court case. Is there just not enough to do on the Supreme Court? Is he moonlighting or something?

He's waiting for a bargain on a slightly used castle with a couple tons of split peas in the cellar and a 50-cal up top.

[Demosthenes]

He's waiting for a bargain on a slightly used castle

Ed's castle is literally falling apart at the seams...

http://www.cheatingfrenzy.com/brownhouse.jpg

[LPC]

Ed's castle is literally falling apart at the seams...

http://www.cheatingfrenzy.com/brownhouse.jpg

If the walls are poured concrete (with reinforcing steel rods), then what we may be seeing are the seams between the molds (and the pourings), which might look sloppy but have little to do with the structural strength of the walls.

[Demosthenes]

What we're seeing is cheap plywood that was tacked on to the exterior of the poured concrete walls, was painted, and is now literally peeling away.

The house was built without a single permit, was designed by Ed himself and he had zero experience with designing houses, and built by himself with a bunch of his wingnutty friends.

If you remember, posters here were wondering about the plywood surrounding the front doors of the home. That's what the whole house is made of, they just hadn't painted the entry way area yet.

[.]

cheap plywood

Oriented-strand board. Ed's too cheap to pay for plywood.

[grixit]

Be funny if it turns out he didn't use metal rods. A police ram truck would go right through the walls.

[webhick]

Be funny if it turns out he didn't use metal rods. A police ram truck would go right through the walls.

Funny you should mention metal bars. A restaurant up here was expanding their retail section and was digging out around the existing foundation. About halfway through the process, the retail section suddenly dropped three feet. Further examination revealed that the previous owner had laid the foundation without any rebar.

Ah...unpermited additions are wonderful, aren't they?

[Evil Squirrel Overlord]

Holy Crappy Construction Batman! Don’t these people understand the reasons for building codes… Sorry, I am having a logic attack. I’ll try not to have another.

Seriously, that building is NOT made of reinforced concrete. If it is it couldn’t be more than 2-3 inches (5-7cm) thick. Considering the height, I doubt if ol’Ed would have rented a bucket and crane to lift the needed concrete into place. Also, what would he reinforce it with? Straw (like the Israelites of old) or “expensive” rebar? As for my eye I am voting on 2x4’s covered in plywood (composite board doesn’t warp in that manner) with cheap arse windows. The Elmer’s paste and thumbtack fasteners leave much to be desired. I’ve seen places like these in the wilds of Alaska. With proper maintenance they usually last 7 years before toppling over. Considering that these people probably believe frost-lines to be a government plot to sell permits, I would be surprised if the house isn’t already heaving.

[LPC]

What we're seeing is cheap plywood that was tacked on to the exterior of the poured concrete walls, was painted, and is now literally peeling away.

Putting plywood over concrete is a bad sign, because it suggests that the concrete was so poorly mixed and poured that it's both ugly and beginning to crumble.

Which means that the next lucky owner will probably have to pay to have Ed's "improvements" demolished.

(I assume that there is an original house under there somewhere? That would explain the brickwork, which is probably a fireplace/chimney, but which Ed couldn't possibly have built.)

[LPC]

Be funny if it turns out he didn't use metal rods. A police ram truck would go right through the walls.

It should be easy enough for the marshal's office to figure out. All they would need to do is check with local building suppliers for sales of rebars.

[ElfNinosMom]

My other half, who's a building contractor with 30 years of experience building houses able to withstand hurricanes, and also has experience with explosives and demolishing buildings, says the Brown's house will collapse no matter what it's made of. It has something to do with the angles of that watchtower, if I understood him correctly.

He also said it's stupid to put plywood over concrete, because it will weaken and damage the concrete. He seems to think demolishing the place wouldn't be hard at all, you just have to know where to hit it and at what angle, and it will collapse like a house of cards.

Don't ask me to explain any of that, because I'd have to defer you to him. I don't know anything about houses except how to live in them.

[Judge Roy Bean]

If that indeed is plywood simply tacked/lag-screwed onto concrete without a moisture barrier or weep holes and then painted, the surface of ordinary concrete behind it will eventually decompose and start crumbling - just not as fast as the wood rot that will set in.