Airstrip One, Minitrue and Social Network Sites.

[The Atheist]

George Orwell would be proud.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/now-big-brother-targets-facebook-1653407.html

I just can't help thinking that the response and resources used to "combat terrorism" have passed the point of balance of common sense and reality.

By a long way.

 

[Darat]

They better be planning on buying a new hard disk!

 

[Beerina]

One of the state legislatures in the US (don't remember which) just outlawed cities from using auto-cameras to take pictures and send tickets at red lights. There were way too many incidents where cities were caught shorting the yellow light time, and discussing it as a profit generator. I.e. the "real crap" behind the scenes was all true after all.


So there's hope! Fight back by de-electing these bozos, or, better yet, get up a groundswell against them.

 

[KoihimeNakamura]

One of the state legislatures in the US (don't remember which) just outlawed cities from using auto-cameras to take pictures and send tickets at red lights. There were way too many incidents where cities were caught shorting the yellow light time, and discussing it as a profit generator. I.e. the "real crap" behind the scenes was all true after all.

Becuase it IS a profit generator. All tickets are.

.. that said, why don't they just outlaw shortening the yellow time without good supporting reason? Instead, of you know, a kneejerk reaction?

 

[Soapy Sam]

I hear Google plan to buy Britain anyway.

 

[arthwollipot]

I have a feeling that someone somewhere has underestimated the sheer amount of data this will generate. Who's going to be looking through it all?

Be vewy vewy quiet. We're datamining for tewowists!

 

[Ysidro]

Becuase it IS a profit generator. All tickets are.

.. that said, why don't they just outlaw shortening the yellow time without good supporting reason? Instead, of you know, a kneejerk reaction?

Because that tends not to stop people from pulling that sort of crap.

 

[ktesibios]

Becuase it IS a profit generator. All tickets are.

.. that said, why don't they just outlaw shortening the yellow time without good supporting reason? Instead, of you know, a kneejerk reaction?

That has been done. Here in California the state legislature addressed this a couple of years ago with two requirements that seem to me to be pretty sensible:

1. Stoplight cameras can only be used if the light conforms to CalTrans (state department of transportation) standards for timing, eliminating the "let's make the yellow one second long and issue more tickets" schtick.

2. Tickets based on stoplight camera photos can only be written by a person authorized to issue moving violation citations under all circumstances, i.e., a police officer, eliminating any incentive for the companies that service the cameras to issue bogus tickets.