Posts by Boo Radley

Re: How do you find them?

One day last week I got a call stating that my Social Security Number was involved in criminal activity and a warrant for my arrest was going to be issued. I pushed the number to speak to a real person, and when one came on the line I gave him a piece of my mind before hanging up.

For the next two days, I got the same call, from different numbers, every 20 minutes. They certainly taught me to know my place, never again will I engage anyone on these calls, I'll simply hang up immediately.

Re: Anyone can be scammed

My elderly mother, god love her, was too polite to hang up on the scammers, she'd chat at them so long as they'd let her. But she never got scammed!

Re: Americans throw away 416,000 cell phone

I love kittens, the only trouble with them is that they grow up to be cats.

Re: The sentence should've been the electric chair

I only skimmed the article, but if this was a federal crime he'll go to federal prison, where there are NO inmates with internet access. So at least he can't get into that sort of trouble for a while.

Re: Stolen Power

In my last couple of years at a big state university, we had a couple of PDP-11s and a couple of smaller VAXen running in the attic of the house we were renting, with terminals and other peripherals all over the house. By placing a resistor in place of a jumper in the electric meter, we were able to retard the meter by about 97%. The power company finally caught on because our electricity bills were too low. Shoulda used a different resistor. Also, the huge window AC units in the attic windows, running all winter, might have tipped them off. The power company cut of the power and took all the wiring back to the pole, forcing us to move out by lamplight. No one was ever charged with a crime, as a roommate had gotten the service with a fake ID. It's a lot harder to get away with this kind of stuff nowadays.

I remember a few years ago in Ohio, USA, you could walk into any DMV office with a plate number or a vehicle's VIN, pay a very modest fee, and walk out with the owner's name and address.

Re: Amendment Zero

Yes, he will be out in less than 18 years, but not much less than 18, as federal prisoners must serve 85% of their sentence before release. The 15% they can get off their sentences for good time, if they behave themselves.

Re: "more of a super-cruise-control"

In the US, once the car has contacted authorities, the cops will show with guns drawn, and promptly shoot the incapacitated driver when the driver is unable to follow they're shouted, and contradictory, commands.

Re: Protect?

My last job was with a doctor that fell afoul of the Internal Revenue Service in this same way. They counted every dollar movement as taxable income, and billed him 1.5 million dollars, when his total income that year was less than 400k. Rather than spend a fortune fighting them, he simply closed up shop and relocated to the Philippines, where he conveniently not only spoke the language, but he also owned a nice home. Screw you, IRS!

Re: Great way to lose voters

The vast majority of Republicans are poor, but they constantly vote against their own interests just they can get their way on abortion, "religious freedom" and hurting all non-white and non-straight people.

Re: Well....

I'm sure those workers were paying their fair share of taxes, or doesn't Uber report the earnings to the tax authorities?

Re: Sounds like my house

In college we were given a PDP 11/70 along with various tape and disk drives, that were all being thrown out. Geeks that we were, we took it all home, where we had to disassemble every component from every rack, and trudge it all up three narrow staircases to the fourth floor attic. The racks themselves were hoisted up and taken in through the thankfully big windows. Last up were four huge window aircon units, the biggest we could find.

A resister placed in the proper location in the power company's meter kept our monthly electricity bill down to $50. We had multiple VT100 terminals all over the house, and mostly used the system to play DND. Those were truly fun times!

Re: Tech where you need an engine block heater? Are you kidding me?

When I first moved to Minnesota, I noticed that parking lots at work all had electrical plugs by them. They were for plugging in an engine block heater. It frequently hit 30 below F in the winter.

Re: 12 Months And A Day

The extra day, if I recall my federal sentencing guidelines correctly, means he will have to serve the time at an actual federal facility instead if a county jail. It also means he can get good time off his sentence. He'll still have to serve 85% of his sentence even with good time. He'll also be coerced to pay that money both while incarcerated and during his supervised release. They can make getting out early to a halfway house conditional upon paying a certain amount of that restitution too.

Re: Hardy surprising...

You people have a very wierd impression of what goes on in the type of prison he'll be in. Minimum security, though with a fence so he can't wander off, not exactly club fed, but filled with other inmates similar to himself. Very little non consensual sex going on.

Re: Key fact missing

This!!! Trump's feelings got hurt, and his ego can't allow that to happen. This entire deal wouldn't be happening if the Tik Tok teens hadn't made him look stupid. I'm certain that any postings critical of Trump will be flagged and deleted immediately.

Re: discriminatory

Indeed, when my depression was at its worst I still appeared to onlookers to be quite happy. I was only miserable internally. Thank dog I discovered medication and therapy, now I'm as happy inside as outside.

Re: China

Remember, she won the popular vote by 3 million votes. It's the electoral college that Trump won, unfortunately.

Re: "That hasn't however, stopped the US and other nations . . ."

The US government fiscal year ends on September 30, when I worked for the federal government we usually ran out of money for capex around August. Then, come October 1, we had plenty of money to spend. I assume that the military uses the same fiscal year, so they might not have money right this minute.

Re: A Better Tomorrow

For good, Christian, uses /s, in case it's not obvious

Republicans know very well

That they'd never again win an election if everybody were allowed to vote. That's why they're so dead set against mail in ballots.

50% are dumber than you

Just think, if you're of average intelligence, and I think most of us here are smarter than average, then at least 50% of people are stupider than you. That's a very scary statistic, that 50% can vote, drive a car, have more stupid children, etc.

Re: Money-laundering?

In the US Federal prison system inmates serve 85% of their sentences before being released. If probation was a part of his sentence it would be indicated in the article.

Re: Alex Jones selling anti coronavirus toothpaste

Convicted scamvangelist Jimmy Bakker sells a silver solution (only $300 for a box of six bottles) that not only cures coronavirus, but also all venereal diseases AND HIV. The state of Missouri is now suing him to stop it, and the New York attorney general has sent a cease and desist order. How many religious nutjobs have been taken by Bakker?

Re: How do we combat this?

Yeah, and in the US that could well get you shot in the back.

Re: Electrics (especially batteries) are a problem, one of many

Very true, I have an excellent Tag Heuer with a self winding mechanism. They've been using this particular mechanism for 2 decades or more, so they've apparently got it sorted. The only problem is that it gains a minute every couple of weeks, but that's an easy fix.

Re: Sigh.

Here in Texas most of the highways are 75 mph, with frequent signs warning that the left lane is for passing. This doesn't stop many drivers poking along at 60 in the left lane, interestingly many of those drivers look to be of Hispanic descent. Drivers Ed is also not required here, which definitely contributes to the poor driving habits. Personally I think everyone should have to retake the driving test every ten years or so. BTW, I am a professional driver, and have had quite a bit of extra driver training and know the traffic laws here.

Re: "Relationship-ending"

Ikea was one of the biggest reasons that my ex is my ex. I'll never again date anyone that even likes shopping there, let alone loves it.

Re: $150 == £159

$162.50 with tax, here in Texas.

Re: Perspective is required

TL;DR

Re: It's even worse if it's political

Years ago here in Texas there was a man with the last name Hogg. He named his daughter Ima. Poor kid.

I Have a Life

But I leave the tv on 24/7, ostensibly so the cats won't feel lonely. They haven't told me whether it works or not.

Re: Except the jury dont award anything, they decide guilt

In federal cases like this, the jury has no say in sentencing. Be that as it may, he pled guilty, so no jury was involved. The judge determines the sentence using the previous sentence report, which uses charts with the dollar amount of the crime, offenders age and other details. The judge usually follows these sentencing recommendations.

Left to my own Devices

By age 5 or 6 my parents pretty much left me to entertain myself and to find things to do. My father worked three jobs, so he wasn't ever around, and my mom was pretty self absorbed. I found great pleasure picking through people's rubbish bins, bringing home any electrical devices that I found. This led to a lifetime of tinkering and a degree in Electronic Engineering but left me a little bit socially retarded. Fortunately I outgrew that awkward phase after college. Hopefully today's kids turn out at least as well as I did without their parents constant involvement in their lives.