Friday, February 18, 2005

The Blogoshere

This is a MUST READ! Peggy Noonan's article, "The Blogs Must Be Crazy," states in part:

When you hear name-calling like what we've been hearing from the elite media this week, you know someone must be doing something right. The hysterical edge makes you wonder if writers for newspapers and magazines and professors in J-schools don't have a serious case of freedom envy.

The bloggers have that freedom. They have the still pent-up energy of a liberated citizenry, too. The MSM doesn't. It has lost its old monopoly on information. It is angry.


I'm glad to be alive at a great time like this...it's been a long time coming!

Thursday, February 17, 2005

Red Light Cameras

Credit to ~rich at Beef Always Wins for putting me onto the topic of RED LIGHT CAMERAS. About two years ago, I got a “citation” in the mail with a picture of what looked like my car going through a red light. My first thought was “no way!, I did not run a red light!” Secondly, how does a private company have the right to take my picture and then demand that I pay them money!?!? Sounds like extortion to me! What about my right under the Constitution to face my accuser? What about the HUGE conflict of interest with the red light camera company, since under our local program they keep most of the money?

The North Carolina Constitution requires that ALL fines and penalties shall go to the benefit of the public schools. In the case of red light cameras, though, the money collected goes to the city and the red light company. It is here that a lawyer friend of my decided make his case (not withstanding the myriad federal constitutional issues). Anyway, my lawyer friend appears to have been successful (pending appeals, et c.). See Article.

As for me, I didn’t pay the money. Had I paid it, I wouldn’t have been able to sleep at night. My question is: Why are the people of this country putting up with this type of abuse?