Comments for farmdevil.net http://www.farmdevil.net when I'm in charge... Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:29:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 Comment on The Incompetent Escapades of Ady Johnson by farmd http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=98&cpage=1#comment-2230 farmd Tue, 12 Jan 2010 05:29:28 +0000 http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=98#comment-2230 It did turn out that Officer Johnson was the one slandering my roommate. Apparently she also left a message for him. When he returned her call (twice), she never called back. Apparently she had lost interest in the matter she wanted to ask him about, but that just isn't right. As for my situation, funny story... I contacted the Iowa State Ombudsman's office about the police department's underhanded ways of dealing with public records requests. I complained about three things: 1) I was initially told that I needed to subpoena dashcam video. This is incorrect and it is a misdemeanor to (knowingly) lie about public records laws. 2) I was forced to give my name instead of just the date, time, and officer. Iowa public records law does not allow for a department to require any more information than would be needed by a subject matter expert to find the record. 3) I was quoted $23 for 30-45 minutes of VHS tape. The ombudsman was unhelpful regarding the first two but he did great on the last one. He did some digging and found that the flat-rate pricing structure was totally illegal. The city council had to vote on a new pricing schedule and apparently it passed. So the police department lost their future (illegal) profits. It did turn out that Officer Johnson was the one slandering my roommate. Apparently she also left a message for him. When he returned her call (twice), she never called back. Apparently she had lost interest in the matter she wanted to ask him about, but that just isn’t right.

As for my situation, funny story… I contacted the Iowa State Ombudsman’s office about the police department’s underhanded ways of dealing with public records requests. I complained about three things:
1) I was initially told that I needed to subpoena dashcam video. This is incorrect and it is a misdemeanor to (knowingly) lie about public records laws.
2) I was forced to give my name instead of just the date, time, and officer. Iowa public records law does not allow for a department to require any more information than would be needed by a subject matter expert to find the record.
3) I was quoted $23 for 30-45 minutes of VHS tape.

The ombudsman was unhelpful regarding the first two but he did great on the last one. He did some digging and found that the flat-rate pricing structure was totally illegal. The city council had to vote on a new pricing schedule and apparently it passed. So the police department lost their future (illegal) profits.

]]> Comment on It isn’t about the truth. by farmd http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=86&cpage=1#comment-2223 farmd Sun, 25 May 2008 21:35:44 +0000 http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=86#comment-2223 Also, while the prosecutor was doing his job in trying to get a conviction, there is a flaw in his ethics. He should realize that there is a difference between trying to get somebody to admit something they did and tricking them into admitting something they didn't do, or just muddling the situation enough that nobody knows what happened. Also, while the prosecutor was doing his job in trying to get a conviction, there is a flaw in his ethics. He should realize that there is a difference between trying to get somebody to admit something they did and tricking them into admitting something they didn’t do, or just muddling the situation enough that nobody knows what happened.

]]> Comment on It isn’t about the truth. by farmd http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=86&cpage=1#comment-2222 farmd Sun, 25 May 2008 21:32:42 +0000 http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=86#comment-2222 I hope to acquire the transcript from the trial but one thing keeps bothering me. I recall the magistrate saying something like "you may have sped up early" when giving his verdict. I can't help but think that if that is really what he said that there was a serious problem with the state's burden of proof. Also, even though I lost, I plan to write up some tips for getting through the system for others who may need them. I hope to acquire the transcript from the trial but one thing keeps bothering me. I recall the magistrate saying something like “you may have sped up early” when giving his verdict. I can’t help but think that if that is really what he said that there was a serious problem with the state’s burden of proof.

Also, even though I lost, I plan to write up some tips for getting through the system for others who may need them.

]]> Comment on Tire Discounters by farmd http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=74&cpage=1#comment-2085 farmd Sun, 02 Dec 2007 04:29:16 +0000 http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=74#comment-2085 It would not be fair if I didn't tell you about my very pleasant experience at Tire Discounters last week. Since my car has been in storage, the tires needed topped off when I was home last week for Thanksgiving. I brought it in and told them I already had the nitrogen (not dealing with any managers). I was helped by a very friendly guy who I had an interesting conversation about cars with. It would not be fair if I didn’t tell you about my very pleasant experience at Tire Discounters last week.

Since my car has been in storage, the tires needed topped off when I was home last week for Thanksgiving. I brought it in and told them I already had the nitrogen (not dealing with any managers). I was helped by a very friendly guy who I had an interesting conversation about cars with.

]]> Comment on Photocop Woes by farmd http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=76&cpage=1#comment-2084 farmd Sun, 02 Dec 2007 04:24:48 +0000 http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=76#comment-2084 I was just reading the IEEE-CS/ACM Software Engineering code of ethics and I found this: "Affix their signature only to documents prepared under their supervision or within their areas of competence and with which they are in agreement." I think this is a key problem that I have with the photocop system. Bill Harper clearly wasn't guided by a code of ethics such as this when his signature was affixed to my ticket. I am currently working on preparing a personal code of ethics for a course. I think reading the codes of ethics that are out there and thinking critically about what they mean is really important to me. I do try to live my life by certain principles that don't seem to be matched by any of the individuals named above. Though some were helpful in their own ways, none of them really sees an ethical obligation to take care of this situation and make it right. I may write more about this once I am done. I was just reading the IEEE-CS/ACM Software Engineering code of ethics and I found this:

“Affix their signature only to documents prepared under their supervision or within their areas of competence and with which they are in agreement.”

I think this is a key problem that I have with the photocop system. Bill Harper clearly wasn’t guided by a code of ethics such as this when his signature was affixed to my ticket. I am currently working on preparing a personal code of ethics for a course. I think reading the codes of ethics that are out there and thinking critically about what they mean is really important to me. I do try to live my life by certain principles that don’t seem to be matched by any of the individuals named above. Though some were helpful in their own ways, none of them really sees an ethical obligation to take care of this situation and make it right. I may write more about this once I am done.

]]> Comment on CSS Skeleton by Sunny http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=59&cpage=1#comment-1736 Sunny Sat, 12 Aug 2006 23:52:44 +0000 http://www.farmdevil.net/archives/59#comment-1736 NEW CONTENT NOW!!! I forgot this site even existed! NEW CONTENT NOW!!! I forgot this site even existed!

]]> Comment on *tear* by Jim Jeffers http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=56&cpage=1#comment-1735 Jim Jeffers Mon, 16 Jan 2006 01:28:58 +0000 http://www.farmdevil.net/archives/56#comment-1735 So uh, you gonna get the new V8 powered M3/4 due out next year? So uh, you gonna get the new V8 powered M3/4 due out next year?

]]> Comment on *tear* by mrkungfu http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=56&cpage=1#comment-1734 mrkungfu Tue, 03 Jan 2006 07:49:40 +0000 http://www.farmdevil.net/archives/56#comment-1734 Nice pic. ;) Nice pic. ;)

]]> Comment on What to do… by mags http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=22&cpage=1#comment-877 mags Sun, 05 Jun 2005 05:18:57 +0000 http://www.farmdevil.net/archives/22#comment-877 Congrats on attaining the level of serious decision maker :) Congrats on attaining the level of serious decision maker :)

]]> Comment on Journey to Copenhagen by anthonym http://www.farmdevil.net/?p=13&cpage=1#comment-876 anthonym Fri, 15 Apr 2005 04:24:35 +0000 http://www.farmdevil.net/archives/13#comment-876 Disregard, I read your biography. I live in Troy, not very far from Springfield. I envy the trip you're taking. Disregard, I read your biography. I live in Troy, not very far from Springfield. I envy the trip you’re taking.

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