I got home to find a business card in my apartment door. "What's this?" I thought to myself. So I read it and it's from the "Town & Village Director of Building & Zoning". Scribbled upon it was a hand written request to please call him for a fire safety inspection.
Well I do not want him or any other gov't offical in my home for any reason.
What do you guys think? I feel I should have every right to refuse this request.
I'm not a lawyer but I believe he needs a warrant if you don't want him in there. It may be to your benefit to allow it, but like you, I resent the intrusion.
Study up on this- and the laws behind it.
(http://tinypic.com/1iicr9)
Try these links for more study. You have to know the laws yourself to have them protect you, otherwise they will just walk over you.
http://www.landrights.com/
LANDRIGHTS.COM
http://www.propertyrightsresearch.org/
Property Rights Research
http://caselaw.lp.findlaw.com/data/constitution/amendment05/
FindLaw: U.S. Constitution: Fifth Amendment
http://www.constitution.org/cs_civic.htm
cs_civic.htm
http://www.constitution.org/proppriv.htm
http://www.constitution.org/
Constitution Society Home Page
Hope this helps - and does not open up a can of worms. It's kind of a shame that people have to be afraid to insist on their rights.
If you are in an area -such as an apartment or something that could affect others it may be a bit of a different situation but at least you have some good reading material. :)
My township sends out a "fire safety" form letter every year about this time. In it are the usual tips and reminders ("Check the fire alarm batteries", "Ornament cautions", etc), which I usually take advantage of.
Also included is an invitation to telephone "for a fireman to do a walk-around the property" for further advise. I've never called .... and they'd never pursued it any further.
The card you received may amount to the same thing.
In my area the volunteer fire fighters are willing to go out and help people spot potential fire problems such as chimneys that are cracked, leaking oil tanks, etc. They are not connected with any inspection or enforcement agency and do this as a public service and hopefully to save lives and property.
My folks don't stop by unannounced, you have to call and ask. Other departments may be set up differently.
I would call and see if this is anything more threatening than the above outreach work. No reason to assume the black helicopters are on their way. :D
I'll call the guy and find out what he's looking for and why.
If you're living in an apartment as in "apartment complex" and there has been some serious problems in some of the other units, that might be a reason to do some serious cleanup and ask the guy to come in.
Neato things like aluminum wiring, black mold, water leaks into the apartment below, etc.
John, you know those guys in the black choppers don't worry about the law anyway - just slip in - slip out - and no one's the wiser. :D
Who needs black choppers when you have these? From prisonplanet.com
DARPA 'Wasp' Surveillance Drones Showcased
Space War | April 12 2005
Warriors throughout history have known that intelligence wins battles by helping eliminate the so-called "fog of war."
The best intelligence available comes from the ability to observe the enemy. Ancient Chinese warlords developed kites that could carry men aloft so they could see what was over the next hill and observe enemy emplacements from afar.
Not knowing what is on the other side of a wall, hill or horizon has been the bane of the infantryman in every skirmish, battle or war. Is that stir of dust in the air caused by an enemy laying in ambush or a family hiding from a battle raging around them?
Thanks to a new unmanned aerial vehicle that AeroVironment of Simi Valley, Calif., is developing for Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, a squad leader may soon be able to answer that question without having to risk a Marine's life in the process.
In fact, the small, lightweight, hand-launched "Wasp" may be the Marine's new best friend when it comes to performing reconnaissance missions.
The Wasp is a MAV—a micro-air vehicle—that weighs approximately 200 grams depending on its configuration.
This tiny terror runs on two small Kokam Lithium Polymer "spar" batteries inserted in the carbon-fiber leading edge of each Kevlar wing which not only power the electric propulsion system, but also provide structural support for the wing.
The Wasp carries forward- and side-looking fixed-focus color daylight cameras. The images from these cameras are relayed back to a ground control unit along with global positioning system coordinates.
A Marine controlling the MAV can then relay those coordinates to a fire control center for an artillery shoot.
Once launched, the Wasp enters an automatic flight pattern that is programmed into its avionics software through a Toughbook computer using FalconView software for handling images and mission control.
The operator can set GPS waypoints and even adjust those waypoints in flight. Once over the target, the Wasp enters into a circular flight pattern and points it side-looking camera at the target.
Nick Foster, electrical engineer, AeroVironment, explained that the Wasp's cameras can clearly make out heads while flying at 200 foot above ground level and, on the Toughbook, weapons may also be identified.
On March 16, Dr. Christodoulou's team flew the Wasp above the newly established military operations in urban terrain facility on Range 200 here.
The Wasp controller is about the same size as a Gameboy. It has a main joystick, a throttle control, a switch for changing camera views, a mode select button and an enter key for setting modes.
It boasts a 7-inch liquid crystal color display the pilot can use to manually fly the craft or take a fast look at a suspected target. It also has an "autoland" feature that takes all the guesswork out of trying to land.
Speaking of landing, the Wasp can either be caught in a net or hard-landed on a fairly level surface. A built-in skid plate and break-off rudder, fins and propeller prevent any damage to the aircraft.
The fins and rudder can be recovered and snapped back on. The propeller has to be replaced, but more fins and propellers are readily available in the carrying case.
In less than 15 minutes the Wasp is ready for its next mission. The Wasp will survive at least 10 flights with a 20-flight objective.
The Wasp currently has a 60-minute mission window, but future versions are expected to remain on station for up to six hours, according to Dr. Leo Christodoulou, program manager, DARPA. He added that the final version of the Wasp runs about $5,000 a copy.
Christodoulou also explained that future version will have an infrared detecting capability.
A waterproof Wasp is also being developed for the Navy.
The ground control unit currently runs about $30,000, said Christodoulou, but one GCU can control up to six Wasps. The GCU is the same unit that controls other AeroVironment MAVs like the Pointer and Raven.
"Anyone with Dragoneye experience can pick it right up," said Charlie Kiers, military liaison, DARPA. He added that new operators need to attend a one-week training course.
The Wasp is a cutting-edge concept with the potential to save Marines' lives in combat. Simply knowing about an ambush before it happens can enable a squad leader to spoil that ambush, turning the hunter into the hunted.
It is getting increasingly clear that most of us, unless we work very hard at it, will be living an "open Life" - that is with our personal and what we might like to think as private information available to just about anybody who is willing to work a bit to find it.
Is this such a bad thing? Perhaps we are becoming the "global village" that has been talked about for years. And maybe that village is more like a global small town where everybody knows your business and loves to talk about it. Anyone who has grown up in a small town (as I did) probably remembers that there was something comforting in that too. When you are young it is great to have a village to raise you. Sure, you have to leave to "sow your oats" and experiment with the edges of things.
But most of us don't want to live on the edge all our lives. Later, we might come home again and realize we didn't really do anything all that wild anyway and who gives a damn if you did? Most of our lives are really just stories for the grandkids anyway.
That said, identity theft and such malicious uses of information are clearly crimes and should be persecuted to the full extent of the law.
Quote... and should be persecuted to the full extent of the law.
The law as an instrument of persecution??? You may have read too many of Glenn's anti-govt rants.
Gosh, Bart, I think it is legal as our beloved Vice President, Big D i c k Chaney, is the one who provides guidance in the fine art of torture (persecution). Note to John - The censor is turned on -- when I wrote his name normally it took my posting and changed it to Big Thingy Chaney - which sounds nasty--- not my intent at all- ::) :-[ I'm so ashamed :'( It makes it look as if I have no respect for the esteemed VP.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/11/20/torture/
Sorry 'bout that, Bart-- I had been holding back but it appears you may miss my anti-gov postings. ;D
Glenn
If you keep this up they may build a black helicopter terminal in Yosemite just for you! :D
I find it hard to believe anyone on this board would be able to say you were anti Government Glenn....
Come on admit it, you voted for dubbya! ;)
-Peter
>:( :-X
Look out here come the black choppers...
(http://www.vtwinbiker.com/db_1SMC21.jpg)(http://www.vtwinbiker.com/db_1SMC21.jpg)
oh....wait...you mean black copters....
(http://www.boogaholler.com/copter/copter2sm.gif)(http://www.boogaholler.com/copter/copter2sm.gif)
:P
Any further developements on the business card???
I haven't called him yet. I've been so damn busy I've only been home one evening since last Thrusday. And other than tonight, it'll be more of the same till next week.
Busy, busy, busy season.
BTW - I like that bike!! 8-)
Thanks Glenn:
I've edited the bad words list. Dick (Nixon, Cheney) should certainly be an allowed bad word!
I've taken out many of the others. This is a *pretty* well controlled group who's rants tend toward the creative rather than the potty mouthed.
PS - Those are kinda cute black helicopters - complete with a "Rudolf" flashing red nose. Who could be paranoid of those?
I like them and I'm not scared because I know they were sent by my beloved president who only has my best interest at heart and wants to protect me from evil. Excuse me while I go wipe now. Do we get a real elected president next time or are we still using electronic voting machines? Oh well-- If the machines mess up or are tampered with the Supreme court can always install the next one like they did in dubya's first term. Don't construe that into believing I approve of any of the choices we will be offered. Please send the pretty black copters now.
http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20051216%2F0623629166.htm&sc=1151&photoid=20051215DCEV104&ewp=ewp_news_1205bush_spy&floc=NW_1-T
QuoteI like them and I'm not scared because I know they were sent by my beloved president who only has my best interest at heart and wants to protect me from evil. Excuse me while I go wipe now. Do we get a real elected president next time or are we still using electronic voting machines? Oh well-- If the machines mess up or are tampered with the Supreme court can always install the next one like they did in dubya's first term. Don't construe that into believing I approve of any of the choices we will be offered. Please send the pretty black copters now.
http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20051216%2F0623629166.htm&sc=1151&photoid=20051215DCEV104&ewp=ewp_news_1205bush_spy&floc=NW_1-T
I read that article this morning and got seriously pissed off by it. The more things come to light the more I believe that criminal charges and impeachment might be the right course of action.
QuotePlease send the pretty black copters now.
Ok...(http://images.usatoday.com/money/_photos/2005/09/13/inside2-copters.jpg) here they come...hey those are crashhawks and chewies like I used to work on...that mean I was a cog in the machine :'(
What is sooo much more infuriating is all the hubub raised over the last clown getting an extramarital hummer and lying about, but with all this clown has done he hasn't been impeached yet. (http://www.countryplans.com/yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/question.gif)(http://www.countryplans.com/yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/question.gif)(http://www.countryplans.com/yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/question.gif)(http://www.countryplans.com/yabbfiles/Templates/Forum/default/question.gif)
Not that I liked that guy either but doesn't make much sense to me...crap I think I hear some copters overhead. :o
um...oh yeah, did any of your neighbors get a business card too, or were you target because you are building or something?