Derek
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On the article LETTER: The Militia Is On Call
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On the article Should Teachers, Child Care Workers Submit Fingerprints for Background Checks?
Derek
1:00 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013
ReplyI sit on both sides....sure, go ahead and fingerprint new teachers/daycare/bus drivers, etc. But a couple questions....who pays for it? When my wife volunteered to assistant coach a small college sports team, she had to submit fingerprints. Guess what, she had to pay 25 or 50 bucks to do it. Is that going to be part of the application process, or will towns pick up the tab? There's actually a skill set involved in taking "good" fingerprints, so where does that professional labor come from?
THe other question is what "really" happens to the fingerprint when it's been checked and presumably cleared? In the military in the '90s, they took all our DNA (against a fair amount of privacy rights concern) with the caveat that it would only be used for identification purposes or for reasonable suspicion in military criminal matters. A fairly easy sell..."you'd want us to be able to identify your remains if your jet crashes and you burn, wouldn't you?" Low and behold, we found out years later that the DNA was kept in a national database along with our fingerprints and available for "law enforcement" use in the routine course of their duties. Huh...doesn't sound like what was originally sold to us. But whatever....my point is how do you guarantee that "records to be destroyed within x days" are actually destroyed.
But as I said, Yeah, I guess for the greater good, I'm for it...with some reservations.
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On the article What Should The Selectmen Focus On In 2013?
Derek
12:34 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013
ReplyOh Gosh, so many thoughts, so little space. I'll keep it short.
I like the idea of a town militia...no standing militia bs...but what if everyone that has an FID card is required to meet monthly or quarterly and learn about/practice effective and safe marksmanship. Build in classes on trauma first aid, home defense with a firearm (be it pistol, shotgun, or rifle), legal caveats wrt use of deadly force in certain situations, marksmanship, firearms use in stressful situations (believe me, it's different), and other topics. No need to register/state what weapon you have or how many. Bring whichever weapon you want on "shooting days." I think this would serve both purposes....more informed and capable firearm owners, a better idea by the town for the level of proficiency/responsibility of its gun owners, and a more reliable and capable "militia" able to act if needed. Make it simple, no class, no FID renewal. But that's just me.
On town meeting...good grief! That's part of what makes New England special, the whole idea of self governance! If you want to have a say in government, then sit through the meetings and attend town meeting. If you want someone else to make all the decisions without you having the option of input, move somewhere else!
Sigh, but that's just me.
Cheers to all.
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On the article Want Your Trash Picked up, Recycle
Derek
11:08 am on Tuesday, January 8, 2013
ReplyI got a kick out of the letter. I actually laughed. Keep in mind....and I mean no offense by this....the town has to write to the lowest common denominator in communicating messages, and some people need to be told repeatedly and very plainly to do something.
On the recycling cycle, yes, weekly would definitely be better and more likely to reduce the number of times full bins are carried back up the drive because I got the week wrong!
On a lighter note, take heart. When I lived in Japan a couple years ago, recycling was mandatory. Rubbish went in clear bags so it could be inspected and if there was a recyclable item in it, the bag stayed at your curb with a nastygram attached. And in Japan, there are SEVEN categories of recycling, each with it's own bin or drop off location! Comingling in Westford is easy in comparison to that!
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On the article Tax to Travel: How Would You Pay for Mass' Transportation System?
Derek
12:18 pm on Monday, November 26, 2012
Sand Man,
As opposed to all the polite, considerate drivers, who never run stop signs or lights, cut off pedestrians at crossroads, or speed up to pass you in the break down lane? Not to mention the "few" who find great enjoyment in blaring their horn as they see how close they can get to a cyclist.
Want to start charging bicyclists and requiring licences (I assume personalized bike plates will be forthcoming), fine....then maybe bicyclists should start using the whole breadth of the road, as they are technically entitled to; and apparently expected to pay for.
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On the article POLICE LOG: Teenagers Searched For Pot, Alcohol at Forge Beach; One Threatens to Call Mom
Derek
3:59 pm on Thursday, October 25, 2012
Perhaps it's a low crime area precisely BECAUSE police take notice of things and check out suspicous vehicles, such as a minivan parked in a closed beach parking lot. That, by itself, is suspicious enough to get a cruiser to drive past and check it out. Smell pot coming from the car, who is to know if they are using small, legal amounts or carrying a load to distribute. I think the way you find out is by checking into it. It's called probable cause.
I, for one, applaud the effort. And, oh by the way, just holding the kids and issuing citations while calling parents should be seen as a lenient response, that I would think parents would be THANKFUL for. Or would you rather let the kids go, get away with it, and learn nothing from it, except that they can do what they want with impunity?
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On the article When Do You Need A Sign Permit in Westford?
Derek
10:06 am on Friday, April 20, 2012
ReplyTHanks for the link to the new bylaws...interesting reading. So....what does this do to the myriad yard sale signs that show up in summer? Section 5.3.8 (or so) says "10. No sign shall be posted on or attached to utility poles, trees nor attached to any parapet." Is the yard saler liable to the code enforcement officer? Is there any intent to actually enforce this rule, short of complaints? Just curious.
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On the article Unknown Man Taking Pictures Near Acorn Plaza Child Center
Derek
1:10 pm on Thursday, April 5, 2012
ReplyUmm, is it against the law to take pictures near a school or daycare center? I believe if you're in a public space, you can take pictures of anything/anyone you want; and even publish them as long as no one is recognizable in the pictures...unless of course you're near a gov't facility.
So the guy takes pictures of an abandoned property....anyone think to check local realtors?.....what are the police supposed to do? "Hey buddy, watcha takin' pictures of, huh? Why?" Are they going to demand he turn over his camera? On what grounds? Can they make him delete any pictures they don't like? Who's decides what he can or can't take pictures of?
I'm all for protecting children...there are plenty of pervs out there...but really? Someone was taking pictures near my playground? Better call the police?
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On the article 2012 Town Meeting Live Blog
Derek
12:57 pm on Monday, March 26, 2012
Agreed,
Jesse, I appreciate all the information you put out for all to gain from; but the delivery sometimes makes it difficult to continue following your notes. I appreciate some sarcasm here and there, but too much acid sours the whole meal.
Please keep posting all your great information....and please don't give Andrew cause to ban you.
Cheers,
Derek -
On the article What's Up With That Blue Tarp Canopy on the Common?
Derek
2:44 pm on Friday, March 23, 2012
ReplyHuh. Any idea if they're going to fix it so water runs and it could be used for dogs? I seem to remember there being a small "bowl" at the bottom, I assume for dogs?
Derek
1:12 pm on Monday, January 14, 2013
Actually, perhaps we SHOULD reinvigorate the unorganized militia. Make it a requirement of getting a town approved FID card. For drills, which would be monthly or quarterly (or whatever period deemed sufficient), all gunowners would attend professional development classes that would instruct on trauma first aid and emergency response, self defense with a firearm, marksmanship, weapons use under stress, laws on the use of deadly force, and basics on how to integrate with police and rescue services if needed.
This would help educate the gun owners in town, who are more than likely "responsible citizens," provide some measure of neighborhood self help capacity in case of crisis (natural disaster or zombie invasion, etc.), establish interpersonal relationships between police and the potentially (FID does not always equate to gun ownership) armed citizen, and create a more informed, skilled firearm owner in town.
Sounds like a win win to me. Thoughts?