tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post5168748732394015464..comments2023-08-20T07:06:14.115-04:00Comments on Thurber's Thoughts: This is how the mayor makes decisions???Maggiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12677808307727487766noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-54724804966960538372007-10-23T13:59:00.000-04:002007-10-23T13:59:00.000-04:00Here is another thought to ponder with this decisi...Here is another thought to ponder with this decision...with all the scams that are going on in this day and age, what would stop some con from entering in a home as a "meter reader" to check out the home for some future crime, thus putting citizen's lives into jeopardy? Some would say the readers would have an ID with them, but those can be faked pretty easily and then you would have to employ more police officers (which takes more money) to answer the calls about these con artist. <BR/>Yup, if we take this road, it will take us closer to Big Brother.Frankhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00257918101344948032noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-80014991500127622202007-10-20T05:50:00.000-04:002007-10-20T05:50:00.000-04:00Economic and administrative desperation leads to d...Economic and administrative desperation leads to draconian and Fascist decisions. Add in stupidity, and we have a good explanation for what Carty decides.<BR/><BR/>In reply to Mr. Ott: Unfortunately, the right of your privacy in search-and-seizure is remarkably compromised when you give explicit or implicit permission to a visitor.<BR/><BR/>There was a landmark case where some detective pretended to be a delivery person, and gained entry to a home, where he obtained evidence thereby. The court judging the matter decided that such evidence was legal since the resident invited the investigator in, albeit under mistaken identity. Courts have also decided that cops can lie to you essentially all they want. So, those kinds of court decisions guide the matter for this meter-reader BS.<BR/><BR/>Just don't let the meter reader into your home ... EVER. Eventually they'll leave a checksheet so you can mark the meter reading yourself. You can also get an external indicator, but that will probably cost you, and some installer must be invited into your home to put it in.Peahippohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01249343346796502619noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-54187815744574830632007-10-19T08:22:00.000-04:002007-10-19T08:22:00.000-04:00Jay - yet another good question that probably won'...Jay - yet another good question that probably won't be answered.<BR/><BR/>But I can see them twisting now... <I>"uh - they're just 'observing' and making notes...they can't help but see something when they're in your house...yeah - that's it!"</I>Maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12677808307727487766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-55273973713420345412007-10-18T22:22:00.000-04:002007-10-18T22:22:00.000-04:00Maggie,I'm beginning to wonder just how close this...Maggie,<BR/><BR/>I'm beginning to wonder just how close this gets to testing the 4th amendment:<BR/><BR/><I>The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.</I><BR/><BR/>Reading the meter is necessary, but reading the meter and using that as an excuse to snoop around for violations (whether obvious or not)I wonder if people will no longer feel secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects. <BR/><BR/>Under the law, people are presumed to be innocent of violations of the law until proven guilty, but giving meter readers carte blanche access to private property presumes that everyone has something to hide and it's just a matter of how, when, and by whom violations will be found. If that doesn't look like a "fishing expedition", then I don't know what one is.<BR/><BR/>Shouldn't probable cause exist prior to even gaining access to private property?Jay Otthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08170850586783653546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-30657916624721314262007-10-18T17:28:00.000-04:002007-10-18T17:28:00.000-04:00Maggie,There ya go again, bringing common sense, r...Maggie,<BR/><BR/>There ya go again, bringing common sense, rational thought and forethought to a mental gunfight with a man suffering from severe premature thoughtless decisions, further reinforcing his ready-fire-aim reputation.<BR/><BR/>Pity the poor "leader" who can't bring in enough revenue to support his lavish spend style.<BR/><BR/>"What a Maroon..." <BR/><BR/>--Buggs Bunny, (Cartoon character, much like "his dishonor" and philosopher; unlike "his dishonor")Hooda Thunkit (Dave Zawodny)https://www.blogger.com/profile/13176392380086227377noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-60939494094549491102007-10-18T14:23:00.000-04:002007-10-18T14:23:00.000-04:00Maggie,To clarify my rhetorical question, my answe...Maggie,<BR/><BR/>To clarify my rhetorical question, my answer is no. Raising money (their end) does not justify their means (a shakedown).Jay Otthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08170850586783653546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-22841527746143379772007-10-18T14:12:00.000-04:002007-10-18T14:12:00.000-04:00'potential for confrontations' ... another good qu...'potential for confrontations' ... another good question that won't get answered.<BR/><BR/>I agree with the lack of spending priorities: <I>"unwillingness to prioritize their spending and reduce it in the right places and looking for money in the wrong places"</I> ... but not sure about the 'ends justifying the means.' Guess I'll go back to my earlier comment - even if we CAN, does that mean we SHOULD?Maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12677808307727487766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-89929580223771734962007-10-18T14:03:00.000-04:002007-10-18T14:03:00.000-04:00Maggie,I'm wondering if it's not so much about not...Maggie,<BR/><BR/>I'm wondering if it's not so much about not knowing how to reduce spending as much as it is about their unwillingness to prioritize their spending and reduce it in the right places and looking for money in the wrong places.<BR/><BR/>Turning citizens against one another is not a new idea in order to extract money in the way of fines and costs. <BR/><BR/>So I think the present is looking more and more like 1933 Europe rather than 1984.<BR/><BR/>Regardless, the questions that have to be answered are: "Does their end justify the means?" and "Will the cost and bureaucracy this incurs outweigh the income it generates?"<BR/><BR/>This kind of witch hunt, making people into scapegoats and turning city workers into tattle-tales might have consequences that the city is incapable of anticipating. What about the potential for confrontations?Jay Otthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08170850586783653546noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-76625474257441833112007-10-18T13:35:00.000-04:002007-10-18T13:35:00.000-04:00Maggie,Last night's performance brought to mind a ...Maggie,<BR/><BR/>Last night's performance brought to mind a quotation that I am fond of: <BR/><BR/>"Don't you wish there were a knob on the TV to turn up the intelligence? There's one marked 'Brightness,' but it doesn't work." - Gallagher<BR/><BR/>... and one might add, in government as well.Timothy W Higginshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17118861693269565715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-72232451519075786832007-10-18T13:25:00.000-04:002007-10-18T13:25:00.000-04:00Just another example of act first and think it thr...Just another example of act first and think it through later.Neighborhood Concernshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11427547894550878470noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-34448879278276056922007-10-18T13:03:00.000-04:002007-10-18T13:03:00.000-04:00yet another good question that will probably go un...yet another good question that will probably go unanswered...Maggiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12677808307727487766noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21829866.post-31608498599605265402007-10-18T12:32:00.000-04:002007-10-18T12:32:00.000-04:00If said meter reader is working in an "enforcement...If said meter reader is working in an "enforcement" role as an investigator, is he or she required to have a warrent before stepping foot on my property?Right Wing Toledohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08119742451435966243noreply@blogger.com