The Taxman's Watching You — on Google Earth

[DrPizza]

How can I obtain one of your magic ultralight devices?

Yeah, I should have realized that a lot of the public hasn't heard about the accomplishments of the Wright brothers & all the subsequent innovations. But, to put it briefly, they've invented machines that can fly! I'm sure this must come as a shock to you. Or, perhaps you are aware that there are machines that can fly, but are convinced that these only consist of very large machines with jet engines.

Gliders - silent. Powered parachutes - the engines can be turned completely off while they're in flight. I do know that powered parachutes are restricted from airspace above populated areas. However, don't you think that delving into the picky details to figure out exactly which vehicle would be best is beyond the scope of this suggestion?

OR, could it possibly be that you've never actually seen a real woman topless & are desperate enough to attempt this yourself?

 

[Darwin333]

Efforts to create some level of privacy that are incomplete or ineffective don't get extra points.

Example: If you are walking with someone and lower your voice to say something and are still overheard by a 3rd party, the fact that you had lowered your voice does not mean that the conversation was private under the law, regardless of your expectations.

The same thing applies to the pools. Building a fence did not prevent observation by simply being at a higher elevation than ground level, which could have been achieved through any number of means, many not even involving tech.

I personally have a rather nice and large backyard and I installed a privacy fence 3 or 4 years ago. I have no neighbors that can view my backyard from their homes (no 2 stories) and there is no land at a higher elevation.

Are you saying that while I am in my backyard that I have no reasonable expectation of privacy? If not then where the hell do I have a reasonable expectation of privacy? I have a bedroom window that faces the backyard as well, if I leave the blinds open do I no longer have a reasonable expectation of privacy in my bedroom even though you would have to go through extraordinary means to see inside of it (due to the fence)?

 

[Darwin333]

How can I obtain one of your magic ultralight devices?

A credit card works (assuming you have adequate available credit on it).

http://www.robots.org/Cliff/Flying/Flying_by_Ultralight.htm

 

[Amused]

It's a sad, sad time in America when the left are the one's arguing against the 4th Amendment expectation of privacy.

Seriously, when did the left become the authoritarians?

 

[Vette73]

It's a sad, sad time in America when the left are the one's arguing against the 4th Amendment expectation of privacy.

Seriously, when did the left become the authoritarians?

Its a sad day when you think this has anything to do with the 4th amendment. But then I forgot, you're an idiot that thinks he knows anything about anything.

 

[Brainonska511]

It's a sad, sad time in America when the left are the one's arguing against the 4th Amendment expectation of privacy.

Seriously, when did the left become the authoritarians?

Why are you arguing with the left/right bullshit? Partisan bullshit makes P&N a big, stinkin' shithole.

 

[Vette73]

Why are you arguing with the left/right bullshit? Partisan bullshit makes P&N a big, stinkin' shithole.

Amused is just like the other nuts in P&N with spidy, dave, PJ, etc...

 

[jackschmittusa]

Darwin333

So no neighbor can see if they are repairing their roof or chimney?

The neighbor's dish installer can't see?

No high ground in your neighborhood, no cell towers, water towers?

No-fly zone?

A fence is an incomplete privacy solution. Your privacy is at risk.

A lineman on a utility pole cannot see?

 

[Darwin333]

Darwin333

So no neighbor can see if they are repairing their roof or chimney?

The neighbor's dish installer can't see?

No high ground in your neighborhood, no cell towers, water towers?

No-fly zone?

A fence is an incomplete privacy solution. Your privacy is at risk.

A lineman on a utility pole cannot see?

I put the word "reasonable" in there for a reason. You have always had an expectation of privacy when talking on your home phone but back in the day the lines would often get crossed somehow and you could hear your neighbors conversation. Does that mean your expectation of privacy went away because of some relatively rare occurance where no intent was involved?

Yes, a lineman on a utility pole could see into my backyard and if he is up there working that is understandable. However, I (again, not a lawyer) HOPE that it is illegal for him to climb the pole for the sole intent of looking into my backyard. Again, the keyword is "reasonable". Just about every aspect of your privacy can be shot down if we are going to use your standards to define them (a lineman working on a pole can see into your backyard so now your backyard has no reasonable expectation of privacy). That same guy might need to fix something INSIDE of your home too, does that count? He can't fix it if he doesn't go inside. What about inspectors? The cable guy, etc... Since they can, on rare occasions, see the inside of your bedroom have you lost all rights to privacy in your bedroom? Sure I can tell them no they can't enter but is it reasonable to force people to go without electricity and cable to keep their 4th amendment rights? Of course it isn't, so why do you believe the same set of rules don't apply to the rest of my property that I have taken reasonable measures to assure privacy?

 

[Linflas]

Big Brother? If your pool is visible from the sky it's public information. Local governments should all be using Google Earth, or even better GIS and professional grade imagery, to find secret pools evading property taxes too. There's no right to cheat while others pay their fair share.

There's the left I love. Let a cop forget to dot an "i" in a Miranda warning and we are 1 step from totalitarianism but nothing is out of limits when it comes to feeding big nanny.