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Fighting terrorism the right way vs. the TSA way
Posted On Friday, December 3rd, 2010 By David Veatch
Wherein I mimic Bruce Schneier’s method of referring to other writings as I refer to his.
Bike Week KC
Posted On Friday, May 14th, 2010 By David Veatch
I’ve not been very good about riding my bike to work the last couple of weeks. I was gung-ho the first week, and rode every day. The last couple of weeks, though… I don’t know, I just didn’t have it in me. I caved to the pull of the seat vs. the saddle. I took the easier, more populated road. Can’t say I felt great about it, and though there were only a couple of days where I legitimately needed the car to either be somewhere far away quickly, or to carry something my bike just isn’t equipped to carry (lumber, for instance), I did it every day anyway. Bike Week KC starts up next week, and I joined up on Brent Hugh’s MoBikeFed Wheel Wizards team, for no other reason than b/c I got a mass e’mail from him about it. I couldn’t pick the man out of a crowd, but if it keeps him from buying dinner for other people I don’t know, and helps me with the whole biking thing… Well, why not? So… I’m signed up, and though I’ll need my car at least one day next week, I don’t see why I can’t ride to more »
Predators On Facebook Tough To Track – Kansas City News Story – KMBC Kansas City
Posted On Thursday, February 18th, 2010 By David Veatch
Predators On Facebook Tough To Track – Kansas City News Story – KMBC Kansas City: “KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Your child could be talking to a sexual predator on Facebook and not even know it. Thursday, February 18, 2010.” Just watched this on the television… more ridiculous scare mongering from self-important local news personalities. To be fair, the advice was good, such as “Don’t say anything online that you wouldn’t say in real life.” and the tips for parents However, they lost me with the bits about the sex offenders and the lack of police manpower and time to check them all was completely glossed over. They ignored the fact that the list is so polluted with people who have no business being there, that the police may miss the real threats In the end, it was irrational fear mongering in the name of ratings without any real perspective on the level of danger. But that’s what I expected to find, so that’s what I found.
Yay! Another Car Story — But Much Happier!
Posted On Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 By David Veatch
“Hi Readers — When you get right down to it, a lot of Free-Range Kids ends up being a plea for more community. More helping each other, more trusting each other, even more hanging out with each other. And here is a story of just that: A brief glimpse of how nice it is when [...] When zero-discretion policies and accurate risk calculus collide we have… common sense. This story is remarkable by the very fact that it’s unremarkable.
Best Buy Sells Surveillance Tracker
Posted On Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 By David Veatch
Only $99.99: Keep tabs on your child at all times with this small but sophisticated device that combines GPS and cellular technology to provide you with real-time location updates. The small and lightweight Little Buddy transmitter fits easily into a backpack, lunchbox or other receptacle, making it easy for your child to carry so you can check his or her location at any time using a smartphone or computer. Customizable safety checks allow you to establish specific times and locations where your child is supposed to be — for example, in school — causing the device to alert you with a text message if your child leaves the designated area during that time. Additional real-time alerts let you know when the device’s battery is running low so you can take steps to ensure your monitoring isn’t interrupted. Or… Helicopter parents rejoice! Now you can give up any semblense that you’re raising your child to be his or her own person. With this device, you can establish, without a doubt in your childs mind, that he or she is completely incapable of doing anything on his or her own. Do you want to raise children unable to make decisions on their more »
Driver involved in [and causes] fatal accident faces jail time
Posted On Tuesday, January 20th, 2009 By David Veatch
WEST BURLINGTON, Iowa – A man faces up to [a mere] 60 days in jail in connection with a November 2007 accident that killed a West Burlington man who was riding a bicycle. A judge found Marvin Oberly guilty last week of driving on the wrong side of a two-way highway and passing a vehicle on the wrong side. Douglas Kenney died of [the tragic and needless] injuries he suffered in the accident on Nov. 9, 2007 [due to Oberly’s utterly irresponsible and reckless actions]. Oberly is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 30. He faces [a paltry] 30 days in jail for each of the counts and up to a year suspension [rather than the far more just complete and permanent revocation] of his drivers license. [It is left as an exercise for the reader to rationalize how 60 days in jail and a year's suspension balances out the irresponsibility and recklessness that resulted in Kenney's death.] Prosecutors argued that Oberly drove up behind Kenney in his pickup and collided with the bicycle Kenney, who was riding his bicycle in a manner consistent with safety and law. Oberly testified provided the lame and weak excuse during his trial that more »
Good Use for Technology, or Excuse to Tuck Tail and Hide?
Posted On Friday, January 9th, 2009 By David Veatch
I rarely disagree with Bruce Schneier, and I’m not entirely sure I do in this case, but I’m certainly not convinced that this is a good use of technology, especially when “security” can be so completely irrational… Reporting Unruly Football Fans via Text Message Fans still are urged to complain to an usher or call a security hotline in the stadium to report unruly behavior. But text-messaging lines — typically advertised on stadium scoreboards and on signs where fans gather — are aimed at allowing tipsters to surreptitiously alert security personnel via cellphone without getting involved with rowdies or missing part of a game. As of this week, 29 of the NFL’s 32 teams had installed a text-message line or telephone hotline. Three clubs have neither: the New Orleans Saints, St. Louis Rams and Tennessee Titans. Ahlerich says he will “strongly urge” all clubs to have text lines in place for the 2009 season. A text line will be available at the Super Bowl for the first time when this season’s championship game is played at Tampa’s Raymond James Stadium on Feb. 1. “If there’s someone around you that’s just really ruining your day, now you don’t have to sit more »
Johnny Bondon Found Guilty
Posted On Sunday, September 14th, 2008 By David Veatch
Fantastic news! Mark Breeding attended the court proceedings and filed the following report: Mr. Bondon was found guilty of attempted assault with the judge describing it as classic road rage. He escalated a minor exchange into a terrifying confrontation that required police involvement. The penalties prescribed by the judge include: ninety day sentence with two days served in jail, two years probation and an anger management class. Mr. Bondon is presently free on bond. Summary of the trial proceeding: Defense claims that the cyclists hit the Bondon Hummer with a water bottle and yelled profanities at him for turning in front of them. Bicyclists Matt and Richard assert that they did nothing aggressive beyond the comment of “you couldn’t wait ten seconds” before turning. From this the stories converge to the point of the Hummer being driven across the yard to intercept the riders and a confrontation taking place. Bondon claims no bumping of the cyclists or physical attack took place. Richard and Rachel made it clear they thought that a possible life or death situation was taking place, initially believing that Mr. Bondon was carrying a handgun. The judge felt that he needed to send a message to Mr. more »
Bike Commuting Causes Pollution
Posted On Thursday, August 21st, 2008 By David Veatch
Last night at pool league, a friend of mine brought in a copy of the Wall Street Journal. There was an article about a local San Francisco wanna-be politician, Rob Anderson who has effectively stalled the installation of bike lanes in San Francisco because… Cars always will vastly outnumber bikes, he reasons, so allotting more street space to cyclists could cause more traffic jams, more idling and more pollution. Mr. Anderson says the city has been blinded by political correctness. It’s an “attempt by the anti-car fanatics to screw up our traffic on behalf of the bicycle fantasy,” he wrote in his blog this month. I am not able rightly to apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a conclusion.
Chiming in on Rising Tension Between Cyclists and Motorists
Posted On Tuesday, August 12th, 2008 By David Veatch
There have been many articles lately about the rising tension between motorists and cyclists. You can read about it in the New York Times, Reuters newswire, The Wall Street Journal, the Austin Cycling News, Newsweek, and a wide variety of other sources. Frankly, I’ve just not seen it. I’ve been out nearly every day riding my route, peacefully and almost entirely without incident. In fact, I can count on one hand the times I’ve been “harassed”, and both times it was very easy to chalk it up to idiocy. The first was a (pardon my stereotypes here) three toothed, chew spittin’ redneck on a country road yelling “Dip Ass!“, and the second was a pair of know-it-all high school jocks in daddy’s pick up. Aside from that, I’ve had numerous men and women offer admiration and encouragement. Two quite attractive young women even offered me a ride. Stupid me, I didn’t think to ask where we were going to ride to. ;) Just the other day, I got into a brief exchange with a fellow at an intersection who good-naturedly told me I was crazy, and then said how he wished he could do the same. I talked about how more »