fredriggs.com

Just in case you missed my response to Charlie Kraebal - here it is:

Charlie,

If it “ain’t about me,” why does my name have to be included in every story about the site?

I’m not sure how long you have been working at the Free Press but the story appeared on the front page of your newspaper on August 18, 2006; it is now February 17, 2007. During this time period it has been the lead story on the Local & State section 2 times. Saturday, September 23rd edition used the Local & State for a lead Story and also was the total editorial content for that day.  It was also a story below the fold on the Local & State page on August 29, 2006 - that seems to be a lot of ink about a slimy politician looking for free publicity. Each story stated the SBOE received a complaint about the site from a “very concerned citizen.”

I don’t care how many times you run the story, all I ask is it be updated with the facts.

Since I was the one under investigation I had to be told who the “concerned citizen” was. Your reporters have been told a number of times the name of said “concerned citizen” (Van Braxton) yet you refuse to disclose it.

Braxton cries, “I just want to see if there is some way to have that site removed”. He knows where I live and he obviously knows how to talk on the telephone because on Sept. 1, 2006 Don Wright, the general counsel to the State Board of Elections, told me in person “Braxton called in the complaint”. Instead of acting like a real man, he chose to waste thousands of tax payer dollars on a complaint that he knew would not be resolved. I even sent him a certified letter and he refused to accept it, now that’s a legislator to be proud of.

It’s easy for you to say chill out because you have not endured the pure hell that I have.

Because of this I was subpoenaed and had to appear in person at the SBOE office in Raleigh -  this resulted in digging into records that had nothing to do with the complaint. The client provided a letter stating why the site was created and gave an explanation as to why they wanted to remain anonymous. The SBOE could have,  and still could rule without knowing the name of the site owner or designer, but they did not, even after I turned over the name.

That subpoena also cost me a political job that I held for more than 12 years.

I could go on for hours but I have other things to do, run the story every day but bring your readers up to date and don’t forget to spell my name right.

This is an open letter to:
Van “I just want it removed” Braxton & The Free Press.

It seems to me that every time the Free Press finds a 5 column by 3.5 inch hole, instead of sending a reporter to cover an event or look for a story - It’s just too easy to call their buddy “boo hoo” Van the Tax Man and rehash a non-story from 7 months ago.

I’m not sure if The Free Press has an axe to grind with me or if they are just poking fun at the new legislator, but I’m getting damned tired of the inferences that I had anything to do with it other than register a domain name, which I do almost daily for anyone with a credit card.

If you want to try it just whip out your credit card and go to http://www.rustikat.net - for just a small fee, you can own any domain name that is available and for a few dollars more I will rent you space and give you software to design and put your website online.

I don’t paint and furnish the room, I just rent it - there are rules of course (they are called AUP) and if you don’t follow the rules, YOU WILL BE EVICTED!

Here is a NEWS FLASH!
The Voters elected you VAN and if you are stupid enough to think the voters are so dumb that this parody is for real I’m not so sure that you have any business in Raleigh voting on REAL issues that affect the entire population of North Carolina and if voters do believe it, then they should not be allowed to vote.

I am not Bank of America, Jim Black or Mike “Ding Dong” Nifong, but The Free Press has given me more ink, than all of the above. You need to get a life or maybe hire some reporters.

A final note to VAN
If you have so much time on your hands after being elected to all those committees that the boys in Raleigh put you on so you could have a press release to show how powerful you are as a State Legislator, maybe you should spend some time finding out why you were not given a chairmanship where you could really do something for Greene, Lenoir and Wayne counties.

I asked that you call, but you refused!
I sent you a certified letter but you refused to accept it!
You have cost me time, money, business and grief, but you don’t care!

Van I have a suggestion, instead of pestering the SBOE you should contact Al Gore because He claimed to invent the Internet.

In case you can’t figure it out, my name is Fred Riggs and I approved this message.

This day has been a bloggers delight, after days with nothing to talk about, I had the story in the Free Press about “Boo Hoo” Braxton (I will discuss that tomorrow, because I can’t find my “Braxton Crying Towel”)

Later in the morning, in the yard there was such a clatter, I sprang from my chair to see what was the matter. What to my wondering eyes did I see, but a white city truck and a Blue Cart had appearead. There were shouts of Glee and Joy  from My Wife. It finally happened! After about 6 months, thanks to Ralph Clark and Jimmy Cousins my wife has finally received the Blue Cart.

Kathy thinks it is the best Valentine Present Ever.   

I received this in an Email this week 

At first I thought this was funny…then I realized the awful truth of it.

Tax his land,
Tax his bed,
Tax the table
At which he’s fed.

Tax his tractor,
Tax his mule,
Teach him taxes
Are the rule.

Tax his cow,
Tax his goat,
Tax his pants,
Tax his coat.

Tax his ties,
Tax his shirt,
Tax his work,
Tax his dirt.

Tax his tobacco,
Tax his drink,
Tax him if he
Tries to think.

Tax his cigars,
Tax his beers,
If he cries, then
Tax his tears.

Tax his car,
Tax his gas,
Find other ways
To tax his ass

Tax all he has
Then let him know
That you won’t be done
Till he has no dough.

When he screams and hollers,
Then tax him some more,
Tax him till
He’s good and sore.

Then tax his coffin,
Tax his grave,
Tax the sod in
Which he’s laid.

Put these words
upon his tomb,
“Taxes drove me
to my doom…”

When he’s gone,
Do not relax,
Its time to apply

Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel permit tax
Gasoline Tax (42 cents per gallon?)
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Interest expense
Inventory tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road usage taxes
Sales Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone federal excise tax
Telephone federal universal service fee tax
Telephone federal, state and local surcharge taxes
Telephone minimum usage surcharge tax
Telephone recurring and non-recurring charges tax
Telephone state and local tax
Telephone usage charge tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

COMMENTS: Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago,
and our nation was the most prosperous in the world.
We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class
in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What happened ?
And I still have to “Press 1″ for English