Archive for the 'Crime' category

Hollywood Justice

Dec 12 2007 Published by under Craziness, Crime, Miscellany

So let me get this straight… Kiefer Sutherland has two DUI’s in three years, and he gets 48 days. Lindsay Lohan has two DUIs in a weekend, and only gets about 8 1/2 seconds (ok, it was 84 minutes, but still). Paris had a DUI and was sentenced to 45 days, then 23, then released after slightly more than a long weekend.

I guess this just goes to show that stars of successful TV shows get more time than bimbos with less acting talent than a glass of water, and/or more money than common sense. Tough break, Kiefer. If were a crappy actor or an heiress you could have skated.

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Yet Another State Prohibits Lojack for Kids

Nov 27 2007 Published by under Craziness, Crime, Technology, The Law

After California’s attempt to limit the potential use of RFID to put an end to missing children, New Hampshire has now acted in a similarly short-sighted way. HB0686 now being considered in the New Hampshire legislature would prevent anyone from using RFID to track another person without their consent.

358-S:5 Electronic Tracking Prohibited. No person may use any electronic means of tracking another person without a valid court order or other legal authorization or the consent of person being tracked. Any person who violates this section shall be guilty of a violation. This section shall not be construed to apply to locating technology used by the enhanced 911 system or to commercial mobile radio service pursuant to 47 U.S.C. section 332.

Unlike California’s bill, I think that the “other legal authorization” clause might give parents some protection should they use such technologies to monitor their minor children. It’s not certain that’s the case however.

This is yet another case of people harboring an irrational fear of a very useful technology. As I’ve said before, if I can use RFID to protect the family dog, why stop me from using it to protect the lives that really matter? If it’s good enough to save Rover, it should be good enough to save little Janie and Jack.

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Odd Priorities

Oct 22 2007 Published by under Craziness, Crime, Legislation, Miscellany

So I’m trying to wrap my hands around something… We, as a people, have some really screwy barometer of what’s important. We are developing systems to track my dog with a GPS locator.

Also, you have no doubt heard in the news about special micro chips that can be embedded directly in an animal’s skin that can help track a missing pet. While some serve as mere computer-based identifiers so that someone who finds your missing pet can be sure it is yours, others get fairly sophisticated.

Some companies are experimenting with global positioning satellite or GPS tracking that can be affixed to a collar or implanted subcutaneously. Unfortunately, the more sophisticated the process, the more you will pay, often both in one-time setup and then in monthly fees. Yet, if you have the money, it may be worth the price for your overall peace of mind as well as the safety of your beloved pet.

At the same time, we write off the possibilities this would afford us in tracking lost children.

A child of a certain age, for example, should know how to get home or at least be able to offer information to others to help them get back. Yet few pets speak; they need us to employ the very best ways to find a lost pet if they have any hope to make it home again.

All this despite the fact that almost one million people go rogue each year, and of those 85% to 90% are juveniles.

That means that 2,100 times per day parents or primary care givers felt the disappearance was serious enough to call law enforcement. 152,265 of the persons reported missing in 2000 were categorized as either endangered or involuntary. The number of missing persons reported to law enforcement has increased from 154, 341 in 1982 to 876,213 in 2000. That is an increase of 468%.

Despite all of this, California is busy making it illegal to protect your kids using the same technology you use to protect your dog.

This bill would prohibit a person from requiring, coercing, or compelling any other individual to undergo the subcutaneous implanting of an identification device, as defined.

Now don’t get me wrong. I love my dog, and if he disappeared, I’d be pretty broken up. However, if some friggin’ whack job pedophile snatched my kid when I had my back turned, and I had no way of locating him simply because some ACLU lawyer thought it was a violation of his rights, I’d hunt down the guy that took him and the ACLU lawyer and dispatch them both.

We fear technology because we’re incredibly short sighted in our thinking. Just think of all the Amber Alerts that could be resolved within minutes or hours if we could pull up a grid and see the location of the missing child. Imagine the hundreds of thousands of parents crippled by the grief of a lost child who could have had their children returned safely if we hadn’t acted in fear.

Legislation like this ignores the possibilities of science, and places more value on the family pet than the family member. That’s just sick and sad.

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There Comes A Time When You Just Look Like A Jackass

Oct 04 2007 Published by under Congress, Craziness, Crime, Government, Politics

There comes a time when you have said and done so many stupid things that everyone around you begins to think you’re just a jackass. For me that moment was so long ago I don’t even recall what I said or did. But to this day, everyone still thinks I am.

For Larry Craig, that moment is today.

First, he holds this big press conference announcing he “intends to resign” at the end of September. Then he announces that “he intends” means he’s planning to do that if the appeal of his conviction is not overturned.

Now that his conviction is upheld, he announces that he’ll serve out his term after all.

“I am extremely disappointed with the ruling issued today. I am innocent of the charges against me. I continue to work with my legal team to explore my additional legal options.

“I will continue to serve Idaho in the United States Senate, and there are several reasons for that. As I continued to work for Idaho over the past three weeks here in the Senate, I have seen that it is possible for me to work here effectively.

“Over the course of my three terms in the Senate and five terms in the House, I have accumulated seniority and important committee assignments that are valuable to Idaho, not the least of which are my seats on the Appropriations Committee, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and the Veterans’ Affairs Committee. A replacement would be highly unlikely to obtain these posts.

“In addition, I will continue my effort to clear my name in the Senate Ethics Committee – something that is not possible if I am not serving in the Senate.

“When my term has expired, I will retire and not seek reelection. I hope this provides the certainty Idaho needs and deserves.”

Do you know what Idaho really needs and deserves? A Senator that isn’t an embarrassment. Unfortunately, your refusal to give them that does a disservice to the state and her people.

On that subject, I think Louisiana deserves a Senator and a Representative that don’t embarrass them. Alaska probably feels the same.

Heck, I’m sure the 47 other states have that same thought every day.

Why do these guys only tend to talk about what would be good for their states when they’re using it to justify sticking around despite being a humiliating slap in the face to all those that elected them?

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Unsolicited Advice For Celebrities

Oct 02 2007 Published by under Celebrities, Crime, Drinking, Friends, Pop Culture

My good friend Anne and I were having drinks with friends tonight and got into a discussion about the train wreck that is Britney Spears. Reports indicate Spears lost custody of her children after being caught driving without a valid California license (despite possibly being legally licensed in Louisiana). Apparently she had been told to get a California license since she’s been living there for years. She refused, then took the kids for a drive this weekend.

So Anne and I are talking and I mention the fact that I am considering a Britney related post. After begging me to leave the poor girl alone, I explained my perspective. This post is not going to add yet another voice to the chorus beating up on Britney. Instead, I’d like to take this opportunity to address the larger issue of celebrities and their poor hiring decisions.

Celebs generally hire personal assistants, publicists, makeup artists, stylists and countless other staff to make their life easier. The one position they all need to fill is “Driver”.

If you look at most of the problems celebs have had over the last year, it all comes down to one thing – they all involved celebs trying to drive themselves. Keifer, Nicole, Lindsay, Britney, Paris, Mel, etc. etc. All of them were driving themselves and should have had someone else do the job.

Had Mel had a driver, he wouldn’t be staring down the business end of anti-semitism charges. Had Paris called a car service, she would have avoided jail time. If Lindsay had someone waiting curbside, she could go on being a giant coke whore and nobody would care.

It’s not like limos are all that hard to come by in LA. It’s not like the expense is that great given these are people who spend $2,000 on ugly pants and huge sunglasses. It’s just amazing that the one thing that could keep them out of trouble is the one accessory they don’t have.

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