Gay Men's Camp Sues Hog Producer For Harassment

One of my correspondents directed my attention to this ruckus brewing in Douglas County, Missouri. Thanks for the tip, Jack. We'll be keeping an eye on it.

It seems that the proprietors of a gay men's campground in Douglas County, Missouri, have filed suit against some of their neighbors for alleged acts of harassment that, among other things, included raising hogs to create a spite farm nuisance. They've also attempted to invoke the hate crime provisions of Missouri law, at least according to the news report.

Not to cast aspersions on the news reporters here but the petition does not seem to invoke the hate crime sanctions of RSM 557.035, perhaps because there's no private right of action therein.
Perhaps that is the reason why the petition was amended.

In their petition the plaintiffs allege that the defendants conspired to oust them and damage them by diverting drainage onto their lands, fire weapons at their property, throw rocks at their property, and harass and annoy the campers. They also allege that diversion of hog waste and effluent was part of the conspiracy.


The defendants, on the other hand, see the issue as a land use dispute at its heart.

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060319/NEWS01/603190386

The entire revised petition can be viewed at:

http://www.jewsonfirst.org/06b/cactuscanyon_petition.pdf

News from the North

It's reported that Stephen Harper's government in Canada has targeted some governmental programs for elimination, and that has the usual suspects in a tizzy.

But enough of that.

What's more important is the fact that, despite being in the position of catching a cold every time the United States sneezes, Canada last year posted a $13.2 billion budget surplus.

Yes, that's right, friends-a surplus that amounts to better than $400 per person. With socialized medicine, tax and spend liberalism, and so on, they've got their house in order, while we here in the economic engine room of the hemisphere (as we think) are using cash advances on the credit card to eat and burning the furniture to stay warm.

That, from an administration that roared into power bloviating on how it was going to whip everyone into shape and get those untermenschen off of welfare for good, and took the budget surpluses of the Clinton administration and blew them...

It's just plain pathetic and embarrassing is what it is, and it makes a lot of people in the rest of the world wonder what the heck we could be thinking about.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060926.wxbudget26/BNStory/National/?cid=al_gam_nletter_newsUp