Now that I had some free time, I took at look at Dan Cassuto's stories. He is an active young fellow who seems to generate stories whether they exist or not. Seemingly of progressive/socialist background (Columbia U. does not honor non-socialists; neither does ABC). Some of his stories remind me of the various newspaper-led "wars" as well described in the Fountainhead. He is probably too young and naive to have a specific agenda against the farmers market system as I was originally afraid someone would, but in this and other cases, he picked non-stories and blown them into media frenzies. On his Facebook, he mentioned that the girl has already sold $2,500 worth of mistletoe - more $ than some vendors there sell in a month; and his "story" has been carried by multiple media outlets with royalties to ABC.

Good afternoon Hiraghm,
I quite agree. This is no doubt partially reflected in the high divorce rate... you have superior power... keep your eyes out for one that appreciates it, or one who has already learned from the mistake you referenced.

By the way, nice job yesterday. Your efforts were not wasted, though your adversary was not the beneficiary. Some people cannot grasp the immorality of theft when they justify it with altruistic nonsense. Somehow they justify it because they are not holding the gun to your head... as if government force is a lesser evil...
“Rationalization is a process of not perceiving reality, but of attempting to make reality fit one’s emotions.”
― Ayn Rand, Philosophy: Who Needs It?

Sometimes I believe I can demolish such premises with a single sentence and do. Yet, it will not penetrate the mind of one not ready to see...
Regards,
O.A.

I took a look at the reporter's (Dan Cassuto) background at http://www.katu.com/about/people/reporte.... His record includes thousands of interviews plus many awards. It doesn't seem he had to make a name for himself. by inventing this story. While I appreciate and stand with you in your defense of private property, I believe stories of this type force us to re-examine our principles and premises and, hence, are worthwhile news coverage.

Ya got THAT right!!!

Spot on! I sensed that if I'd "chased" my wife, she'd have run away, so I deliberately played "hard to get" (but always available) so she wouldn't run away.
We celebrated our 23rd anniversary a few months back. It took me one previous wife and about 65 women I dated after #1 and I split for me to grow up and realize what I wanted and needed in a mate, and when I found the combination, I was not about to let her get away.

Hi, try joining groups or clubs where you're interested in the subject of the group, not just another opportunity to get laid. You'll be more likely to find someone with similar interests and attitudes who might be interested in you, too.

At our wedding, there were three people who could have performed the ceremony (one was in doubtful health, so it was nice to have a Plan B and a Plan C. Plan B was a woman I'd met in a discussion group and had lusted after but she wasn't interested in me, and Plan C was a woman I'd met in another group and had spent some rewarding time in bed with quite a while before I met my wife-to-be.

Stop looking for perfection, hang out with people that are fun to be with and you'll be pleasantly surprised.

Happy shopping!

"It's not about the mistletoe,” she said in a follow-up interview with KATU. “And it’s not about me. It’s about all of us. It’s about how we’re raising wimps, how people would rather beg for money than work hard!”

Yep, you may just be right. Next Saturday (some outlets say) she's going back to the market and giving a speech about making a difference.

Interesting. I'll dig deeper.

You were making a good case, and could have easily stopped with a 'private property' argument!

You convinced me, that the young girl was simply trespassing, and needed to sell her wares at a different location.

This reporter could have made the same case, if this young girl was using my front yard to sell her product. When did I lose my property rights? When she needed braces?

Let's be fair, that is factually correct. Farmers market regulations are not government regulations, but made by the market committee as any other private corporation. Some markets are privately owned, some are non-profit in name, some belong to a city or a town, but the rules are essentially the same across the country. I happen to be a vendor at about 10 markets and have looked at their operations in several states, so I do know something on this subject. There are some governmental regulations that are worth complaining about, but this one is truly a private enterprise enforcing it's rules and fees structure. On moral grounds and, as a business owner, on practical grounds, I certainly want the government out of my life, but this case is about private contractual arrangements. It does not help the Objectivist case to go off into blind alleys and to deviate from facts. I am curious as to why the reporter created this case in the first place. The facts are simple and any market manager can explain this in five minutes. The reporter, clearly, had a different object in mind than the facts and the truth. Was this just a good sounding story that can make a name for the reporter? Or was this an attempt to place the farmers market system into the negative light? The farmers markets have grown tremendously in the last several years. These are some of the last vestiges of capitalism in the US and are mostly cash-based. It was obvious to me even several years ago that a campaign will be launched to slow them down or shut them off completely. The exact same situation had happened in the Soviet Union in 1922-24, under the New Economic Policy which allowed small farm enterprises the freedom to exist. They were so successful that they threatened the fundamental structure of socialism and they were exterminated, with millions of people executed or sent to the Gulags. The flourishing of today's markets is a direct affront to nationalization of all our industries through taxation and regulation. Will see if other devices will be introduced to destroy the markets. One such device has already been implemented - the introduction of food stamps into the farmers markets. I have no doubt that other devices and campaigns are to follow.

Nothing to see here. Don't mind the Marxist behind the curtain. The regulations are there for the good of the people..

"It's amazing how our culture corrupts even the purest souls."

You should not lump us all together. The collectivists are the ones corrupting the purest souls.

No, another vendor cannot buy it from her and sell as his own. That is strictly against farmers market rules and for a good reason - otherwise, you'll have people re-selling WalMart tomatoes as home grown. To reiterate - there is no story worth of a story here. Just a reporter trying to make a name, kind of like a war on taxi drivers, architects, etc.

Me too. They are applying what they learned from reading Saul Alinski's book Rules For Radicals

Yes and based on the her current position there is hope for her as I strongly suspect that she has those things.

Yes, I have noticed. Some of the posts I have seen here make my blood pressure go up.

Those with a good home life and good parents.

Yes! Then the EPA would have to fine themselves $1,000,000/day until they switched over to green energy produced electricity:-) - or freeze.

Sadly true; however, possible as there are some few that come through that system with good values.

As long as she is in a public school teaching off of common core, it's difficult to be optimistic.

"So if you are a conservative, and you are OK, and you are posting on this site, you likely have all the best reasons going for you." Sadly no. The Collectivists couldn't resist infiltrating the Gulch.

Very funny! Yeah, that would be environmentally friendly! :) We need one of those sly congressman to go about business as usual and slip in a last minute amendment to a bill that forces the EPA to be powered by coal produced electricity... it might be the only way to contain them. :)
We know they don't read the bills so...

You are both incapable of seeing the larger meaning in this story.