Guilty Until Proven Innocent

May 06, 2009 Category: Global

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By: eporter

That is the premise of traffic cameras, right?  The Daily Advertiser reports new SafeLight at several Lafayette intersections.  The cameras basically “take photos of vehicles that appear to be speeding or running the red light.”

Ok…key word here is “appear”, effectively admitting to the fact that such photos are no proof at all.  The Lafayette Consolodated Government further states that the cameras attempt to take two pictures 1)when the light is red and the car is headed for intersection and 2) when the light is red and the car is in the intersection “and did not try to stop.” Pause for a moment.  So, running a red is not enough to prove guilt, otherwise only one photo is necessary.  Apparently, guilt occurs when running a red light without trying to stop?  So, the cameras can deduce the acceleration of cars?  Hmmm…interesting.  Don’t buy it, but then again…what choice is there?  Come on you cajuns, change the law.

On a similar note…hat tip to Political Gumbo who reports that Obama wants to further the premise so popular with the use of traffic cams:  guilty until proven innocent:

Obama also planned to ask Congress to crack down on tax havens and implement a major shift in the way courts view guilt. Under Obama’s proposal, Americans would have to prove they were not breaking U.S. tax laws by sending money to banks that don’t cooperate with tax officials. It essentially would reverse the long-held assumption of innocence in U.S. courts.

Too many things happening now which don’t seem to be real.  Let’s not become numb with disbelief and paralyzed by inaction.

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Lafayette goes big government

August 14, 2005 Category: Uncategorized

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By: johnnyb

So it seems Lafayette, the city that voted for Bobby Jindal for Governor, has voted to take a bite out of the private sector by issuing bonds (the republican version of “raising taxes”) and bridging the “digital divide”. What a bunch of rotgut. Last week I enjoyed a bit of saturday late night television. Nearly every commercial was for online poker. Think they’ll be seeing that in Lafayette soon?

I hate when the the Daily Advertiser tells the story a little black girl doing research for a science project (”I might have to use books or go to the library if I didn’t have the internet.” Imagine that.) Let’s be realistic here, how much is the internet being used for strictly educational purposes?

Reminds me of a time I sat in on one of Jordan’s classes at a small Community College in Boston. Tuition there is pretty expensive, and some people consider it kind of elite. A lot of colorful folks there, and one guy there was using the high speed internet connection, which was supplied to every desk, to read a Paul Krugman editorial in the NY Times. A quick survey of the class showed a lot of people were pissing away their time in one way or the other, thanks to the miracle of high-speed internet in the classroom.

Now little black kids in Lafayette can read the NY Times (at best!) instead of doing their homework.

All that being said, living out in the sticks gets one no love from telephone or cable companies. I could sympathize with people wanting to do something about it. But it was cheap satellite dishes that provided television content the whole countryside, not a TVA of the twenty-first century. And if you don’t want to get it, you don’t have to pay anything. I figure it would be the same for the internet in a couple of years, at no cost to those who don’t want the internet.

Anyway, check out www.theadvertiser.com to see the story.

Posted at 06:39 pm by Johnny B

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eyes and ears on the ground

August 01, 2005 Category: Uncategorized

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By: johnnyb

When I get time, I’m going to tell y’all a story. First thing, though, is I’m curious about the recent vote in Lafayette to socialize the high speed internet there. The effort was spearheaded by Republican (?) mayor Corey Durel. “We’re going to get rid of the digital divide,” he said (how Clintonian!). I heard this on the public radio news here in Columbus, so apparently it is a big deal. One old boy said, “I don’t even have a computer. Why should I pay money to pay welfare for something somebody don’t need.” I’m paraphrasing, but you get the picture.

Posted at 12:23 am by Johnny B

Posted by BP @ 08/02/2005 09:45 PM PDT
It goes to the old “what is ‘general welfare’” question. Here’s a good quote from James Madison:

“With respect to the words general welfare, I have always regarded them as qualified by the detail of powers connected with them. To take them in a literal and unlimited sense would be a metamorphosis of the Constitution into a character which there is a host of proofs was not contemplated by its creators.”

Is internet included in the concept of general welfare?

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