On Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:21:52 -0700 (PDT), Tim
wrote:
On Aug 29, 8:16*pm, Tim wrote:
On Aug 26, 8:48*am, JustWait wrote:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...57653052047122...
This **** is getting old.
This is only one part of the article that gets me, Scott.
"Consider the recent experience of Pascal Vieillard, whose Atlanta-
area company, A-440 Pianos, imported several antique Bösendorfers. Mr.
Vieillard asked officials at the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species how to fill out the correct paperwork—which simply
encouraged them to alert U.S. Customs to give his shipment added
scrutiny.
There was never any question that the instruments were old enough to
have grandfathered ivory keys. But Mr. Vieillard didn't have his
paperwork straight when two-dozen federal agents came calling.
Facing criminal charges that might have put him in prison for years,
Mr. Vieillard pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of violating the
Lacey Act, and was handed a $17,500 fine and three years probation. "
Oh yeah. this too!
"If you are the lucky owner of a 1920s Martin guitar, it may well be
made, in part, of Brazilian rosewood. Cross an international border
with an instrument made of that now-restricted wood, and you better
have correct and complete documentation proving the age of the
instrument. Otherwise, you could lose it to a zealous customs agent—
not to mention face fines and prosecution.
John Thomas, a law professor at Quinnipiac University and a blues and
ragtime guitarist, says "there's a lot of anxiety, and it's well
justified." Once upon a time, he would have taken one of his vintage
guitars on his travels. Now, "I don't go out of the country with a
wooden guitar."
============================
What nonsense. Does anyone remember voting for a government like
this? How did it happen? How do we fix it?