Where Were You?

Inquiring minds want to know. Where were you when the surveillance state was first being introduced into Dunwoody? Did you not live here then? Could you not see this coming? Was the Ring Doorbell camera fuster cluck not adequate foreshadowing? You know, when they started their collaboration with government agencies and then drew back, putting barriers in place? Did you not know that given the chance, and the technology, that government will make unlimited use of surveillance technology? Have you never heard of a Stingray? You have now.

How is it that you are suddenly so knowledgeable? Or are you? Really? Maybe you're just following a herd, led by gawd knows who or what. The fact is none of what the complainers are venting about online and at city hall has changed. Notta. These cameras have never been blind to anything but license plate and you'd have to be pretty stupid to think that is, or ever was, the case. 

So, what are you really bitching about and why are you just now doing it?

OMG GMO

Remember the good old days when someone, usually a government someone, wanted to do something unpopular, even bad, justified it with "National Security?" No more. There's a new excuse sweeping the globe: climate change.

There is no limit to what can be justified using "climate change" as the rationalization. Nothing. There is nothing so bad, even evil, or at least previously reviled, that climate change cannot gild. Case in point: GMO. That's right, outlawed in many parts of the planet, genetic modification of organisms is now a part of the battle against climate change. 

Once considered a manmade disaster of its own, GMO is born again as a savior, healing the disasters caused by global warming. Be fair, it ain't "climate change," it is still Al Gore's global warming.  But ponder this: what comes next that will make global warming a great thing? Be afraid.

Sarah, Sarah. Do Better.

For Supreme Court

Maybe someone who wants your vote for Supreme Court should know the local ordinance. Isn't knowledge of the law a good thing for a judge? Even at the State Supreme Court?

Does this get your vote?

Gandering At The Geese

Flock has the city's politicos and bureaucratic money sponges in a snit. And it is delicious. 

The stated reason they're all up in arms is that Flock may, or may not, leverage the Flock system to Flock's benefit and they may have, or may not have, updated their agreements. Happens all the time to you doesn't it? 

Mother Mayor has been in attack mode, moaning that we (the city's money sponges and politicos) need control of our data. WTF? Just throw that out there and expect it to magically become fact? Your data? Yours? Really? What, are they your license plates? No. No they are not. Do you pay for these plates? No. No you don't. Do you sell (rent) these to citizens? Again. No. Are the Flock LPRs restricted to residents of Dunwoody, as in, your constituency? No. Not at all. Not even part of anyone's original intentions. Plus, Flock can track your constituents in other jurisdictions if they are Flock customers. And finally, is Flock providing you the service you asked for, contracted for, and are paying for? Yes. Yes they are. 

So what is really your problem? After all you are getting what you're paying for: Law Enforcement as a Service. This provides political cover for the fact that you have no intention of deploying police officers in our community to keep our streets safe. "Let Flock do that. We rent technology to handle that." Truly a farce multiplier. 

Are you pissed that Flock are leveraging their system, a vast majority of which is not on poles in your right of way, to their benefit, potentially to their financial benefit, but also to the benefit of additional law enforcement missions? Are you that firmly against law enforcement? Are you picking and choosing? Do you have the integrity, the courage, to say out loud that you are against immigration enforcement and intend to do whatever you can to impeded federal law enforcement? Are you so dogmatically tied to a political party, a political movement, that impeding the FBI's ability to apprehend criminals on their Most Wanted List is acceptable collateral damage?

Or is it money? Do you resent that Flock may be monetizing their system beyond your little contract? That might be somewhat consistent with your statement that this is your data, however illogical, and indefensible, that might be. Do you want the feds to come, genuflect at your feet, and beg (AKA pay) you for access to Flock's data? Is that even reasonable? Only in your bubble. 

The humorous bit cannot be ignored, if you are indeed pissed because they've updated some of the T's & C's. Haven't we recently been subjected to Mother Mayor's campaign supporting increased taxes based on the premise that "things have changed since the city was founded"? Now you have the chutzpah to act offended that what is essentially a software/service company has updated their agreement, all the while changing nothing that negatively impacts the service they provided, that you wanted, and that you agreed to pay for. It really sucks when someone treats you like you've been treating us, doesn't it?

Local Control

Not complete local control, but more control than a particular government bureaucracy would like. The bureaucracy in question? City Schools of Decatur. It is worth noting that this limited control is being thrust upon them by the State. That's right, the State Legislature is forcing local control, via the ballot box, on a local government. Expect the local government to fight back on the basis of the State being outsiders, and local control is them doing whatever the hell they want, but the ballot box is just a bridge too far.

This is all about Senate Bill 625 which will force a referendum for any bond issuance exceeding $20M and seems to be targeting a CSD request for a $52M bond. Not perfect, but clearly better than a government bureaucracy run amok. Ideally, any bond issue should require voter approval, and consider this: schools have no problem coming to the voters with hat in hand when they want a SPLOST. Probably because they must. 

Citizens of Dunwoody should take note. This is what local control looks like.

Guest Post: Safety Fast!

This is a conversation overheard between a visiting ole farte Calinky and his nephew who lives in Dunwoody. As is often the case, the language is salty and no effort has been made to change that. Get over it or go somewhere else. 

Boy, let me tell you, drivers around here suck. 

OK, what is it this time?

Well, remember you told me to take that back road, the one that changes names three times, to get over to Cobb county? And how I should go to the light to turn left instead of taking that short road that cuts off the corner, you know, the one Google tells me to take? I did it your way and damn near got killed when some Porsche pulls out in front of me, coming outa that road you told ME not to take. 

You must not have crashed, or that would have been the first thing out of your mouth. What happened? Did you have to blow your horn? Does that clown car even have a horn?

Yes, it has a horn and no, I didn't blow it. There wasn't enough time for that. I mean, this car pulled right out in front of me. And no way the driver didn't see me. I was past the hill and I always run with my driving lights on and you know how bright those are. Just pulled right on out.

And what is it with Porsche, anyways? They used to make good cars. Drivers cars. Now they make these whatever-UVs. And when they're white, they're just generic, and you can hardly tell they're a Porsche, except this place seems eat up with 'em.

Yeah, and Teslas.

Don't get those things. Who wants to drive a car with an IUD tacked on the back? Maybe it's the ladies' version of a penis wrap. 

OK. OK. Enough. What did you do? Slam down on those new brakes of yours?

No. Seriously that car pulled out when I was nearly right on it. No time for brakes. This called for evasive action. You know how there's a street opposite where that Porsche pulled out?

Auden Trail. Did you turn right?

Been tellin' ya...not enough time. But I did use that extra pavement to get on the right side of that Porsche, made the skinny pedal kiss the carpet and scooted past. Thank gawd for that Brit Six. And I know you're blessed with a bumper crop of shitty drivers, but this was the worst I've ever seen. How'd it get so bad?

No cops. I mean we have cops. On the payroll, but not on the streets, so everyone knows they can drive without any regard for any laws. Speeding? Fine. No turn on red? Says who? Stop sign? Yield sign? Ignore them all. Red lights? Run at will. No cops. No tickets. So they've conditioned drivers around here to disregard any rules and drive like their own worst self.

Well, that driver definitely earned a "Student Driver" sticker. And what's up with those? This place is eat up with Porsches, Teslas and those silly stickers. Why don't they just send 'em to drivers' ed? You ain't gonna see those stickers back home.

Why not?

Well, when folks started puttin' 'em on their cars, cops started pullin' 'em over. See, the cops figured if you're gonna try on-the-road training, they were gonna offer a lesson on 'what it feels like to get pulled' and 'how to talk to a cop.' Then they offer refresher courses. Turns out these drivers were either fast learners or they figured out those stickers slowed ya down. Now we're back to 'baby on board' signs. That's it. 

Anyway...I didn't hit the Porsche, but I am looking forward to gettin' home.