I got a e-mail from my good friend Greg the other day. He said he was worried about me because one, I don’t update this blog with near the frequency of the past and two, I don’t write him any e-mails.
Well, he’s right, of course. So, for tonight anyway, I’ll try to rectify that problem. (I still have to write him an e-mail but, it just doesn’t seem right unless I stick it to the Man and do it from work. So, Greg, you will have your e-mail tomorrow).
You guys have to check out this web page: NewRomeSucks.com. Now, get this. New Rome is one of those “corporation townships” in Ohio. It has a population of less than 50 people and is no more than 2 acres large (or the equivalent of 5 city blocks). Although New Rome only has 50 or so residents, it boasts a police force of nearly 20. Let me repeat that. Over one third of their population are police officers.
How does New Rome afford this elite police force? Why, by writing tickets of course. In fact, New Rome collects anywhere between $400,000 to $600,000 a year writing tickets for such offences as: License plate light too dim, partial obstruction of county sticker, cracked windshield, low tire pressure, cracked tail light, windows not properly defrosted, snow on license plate, etc, etc, etc.
Well, one day the local yokels messed with the wrong person. After receiving a ticket and hearing about hundreds upon hundreds of police abuses cases, he started up the above mentioned web page. It was soon receiving national attention as people like John Stossel and Car and Driver did in depth pieces on both this little haven in Ohio.
In fact, it got so much attention that the state’s Attorney General has just filed paperwork to have the Corporation of New Rome dissolved.
I love it! Finally, you year a story about one man fighting the good fight and in the end, he sticks it to “Man” big time. Please, take some time and read through this web page. I looked over it for more than 4 hours today and only got halfway through the countless horror stories of police abuse and bullying. This is great stuff.
