A Samuel Beckett Quote

“Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.”

Samuel Beckett

Police Creativity: How to Increase a Speeding Ticket Charge

This is creative. There is an extra charge on the speeding ticket in Atlanta, Georgia:

“HOLLY SPRINGS, Ga. — The surging price of gasoline has come to this: a “fuel surcharge” on your next speeding ticket.

Drivers caught speeding in this north Atlanta suburb soon will have to pay an extra $12 — to cover $4-a-gallon gas costs for the police officers who stop them.”

link: Speeders to pay extra for police fuel

Along the same lines, wouldn’t it be wise to add a ‘health surcharge’? If the police incident raised the officers’ blood pressure, then shouldn’t the offending motorist be penalized and made to contribute to a health plan? If one thinks about it, there are a myriad of other ’surcharges’ that could be added to the speeding ticket.

Catherine Forsythe

A Samuel Beckett Quote

“Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.”

Samuel Beckett

Game Six: The Fans Deserved Better

There was no question. The Boston Celtics dominated. The final score was 131 - 92; and the Boston Celtics won their seventeenth championship. Kudos to the Celtics.

The Lakers fans deserved better. At one local venue, Lakers fans have been gathering all season - and for countless seasons previously. These fans were stunned. In an elimination game, with their season in the balance, the Lakers failed miserably. They lost every quarter:

• quarter one: 20 - 24 Boston
• quarter two: 15 - 34 Boston
• quarter three: 25 - 31 Boston
• quarter four: 32 - 42 Boston

Total domination. What irked the Lakers fans was the disparity in play. The Lakers were outplayed in nearly every statistical category:

• offensive rebounds: Lakers 2 - Celtics 14
• turn-overs: Lakers 19 - Celtics 7
• assists: Lakers 16 - Celtics 33

That’s just an example. Every one of the Lakers who played could be singled out for sharing in the responsibility of the Game Six debacle, even the reigning MVP, Kobe Bryant. Perhaps the most stinging commentary was made by one of their staunchest local fans. He is retired and a steadfast follower of the Lakers. For decades, this has been his favorite team. He stayed until the very end and watched as the Celtics celebrated. As he slowly rose to leave, he said to no one in particular: “the Lakers just quit tonight”.

That may be among the worst condemnations of a team - ever.

Catherine Forsythe

Banned from the Internet

In a legislative move to stem piracy, France has introduced legislation that would ban violators from the internet:

“Anyone in France who persists in illicit downloading of music or films will be barred from broadband access under a controversial new law that makes the country a pioneer in combating internet piracy.

“There is no reason that the internet should be a lawless zone,” President Sarkozy told the Cabinet today, as it endorsed the “three-strikes-and-you’re-out” scheme, which, from next January, will hit illegal downloaders where it hurts. Under a cross-industry agreement, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) must cut off access for up to a year for third-time offenders.”

link: France to ban illegal downloaders from using the internet under three-strikes rule

This turns the internet service provider (ISP) into the ‘internet police’. What is to distinguish an illegal download from a legitimate file transfer? This opens issues such as privacy, security and surveillance. If there is a large file download, will the ISP check the source and the downloading frequency to determine whether it is a work related matter or possible illegitimate file sharing? Further, what legal jeopardy does this place on the ISP, both in terms of protecting copyright material and protecting the customers who support their enterprise? It just places the internet service provider in an untenable, no-win situation.

Catherine Forsythe