Capitol Hill Blue Forums Political Issues Constitutional Issues Big brother is watching

I just read through much of your issues with the other board. Seems to me, it is a few people who are not taking your accusations seriously. Topix is known for little or no monitoring so there is ample opportunity for posters to do just about anything they want to.

I think you are reading too much into someone posting with your ID on Topix. On Topix, a person can register an ID and then an anonymous person can use their name. It won't show up in blue lettering and is easy to determine it isn't the original poster.

Best of luck

Thanks. I’ll need it. I appreciate the support and comment. You’re right about little or no monitoring. Besides flagging the offensive posts, anyone else who is being targeted should go to http://www.topix.com/topix/contact/ and complete the form to report a user.

You're right that most viewers can easily recognize that an imposter is posting under my name. However, I’m concerned about the one who wouldn’t, especially here in Holmes County. You know how some people believe whatever they read in the newspapers? Some people would believe whatever someone told them that this Yankee posted on the internet. Holmes County is a poor rural area of the FL Panhandle. Many residents aren’t internet savvy. Law enforcement would know which ones to provoke. They’ve done it before, although the ones they squeeze are usually involved in drug dealing and looking at criminal charges. The good ol’ boy network is alive and well here. Some may even believe that they have a "get out jail card free." My posts are sanitized. For example, I’ve never complained that someone fired “warning shots” at me a number of times or the threats or stalking arranged by law enforcement. "Law enforcement" even arranged some incidents themselves expecting that I would overreact. They know whom to pressure and have the authority to do it under the color of law. I can’t check all the local boards, including the Bonifay topix one, to see what’s posted under my name. However, if I’m aware of it, I’ll report it as abuse and try to stop it. At any rate, thanks again, but realize there’s more involved than just a couple of random trolls laughing it up at my expense.

Joe

Source:

I still hadn't heard from the SAO regarding my March 6, 2009 letter to State Attorney Hess, so I faxed a Florida Public Records Request this morning to the 14th Judicial District SAO seeking all records, including those stored on computer, related to my 3-6-09 letter and charges. I followed up the fax with a phone call to the SAO. A female employee verified receipt.

Joe

Topix finally removed the offensive posts. Now if only the state and county would obey the law, too, and remove their illegal "bugs."

Joe

They have not removed all of them.

Hilltop Blues,
Thanks. I checked and noticed that the trolls posted two more personal attacks yesterday, following Topix's deletion of their earlier ones. I didn't ask Topix to remove all their posts, however, only the personal attacks. For example, one of the trolls described the thread as "weird" and some other post were innocuous enough not to be considered anonymous annoying personal attacks. At any rate, I have neither the time nor inclination to monitor their posts, so I requested that Topix just delete my thread entirely. It's easier all the way around. I also suggested that they read Clive Thompson's article in WIRED entitled "The Taming of the Trolls."
Joe

Phoned the SAO employee that handles FL Public Record Requests earlier this morning and left message on answering machine inquiring as to the status of my request. As of this post, I still haven't received a return call from the SAO regarding my Public Records Request.

Joe

Even though I don’t smoke marijuana, I ordered Barry Cooper’s video NEVER GET BUSTED AGAIN. Cooper was a former narcotics officer and considered one of the best in Texas. The video is very informative and fascinating. I purchased VOL. I: TRAFFIC STOPS, because of a recent parking lot incident. I felt it important to know more about police policies regarding Search and Seizure. Returning to my park car, I noticed a middle-aged white male, average height, and with a whiskey gut suddenly pop up from behind it. I park my car away from the others, so that it’s isolated and clearly visible. I didn’t see him walking towards my parked car or by it, but he just suddenly appeared behind it. He appeared nervous and moved fast over to the next lane of parked cars as I approached. I watched him scramble to a SUV, open the passenger side door, and get in. He fidgeted for a moment or two and when I was about 50 feet from the SUV, he jumped out from the passenger side, ran around to the driver’s side, got in, started up the car, and speed off.

It was funny, but also alarming. I wasn’t in the store long. He couldn’t fit under the vehicle and it’s not on the top 10 list of cars to steal. So what was he up to? Plant something? The lower panels appeared undisturbed. I checked and felt around under the car on the driver side, but couldn’t find anything or see any puddles. I suspect that I interrupted his plans.

Joe

I woke up sometime between 2:00 and 2:30 a.m. this morning, Thursday, April 16, 2009. I was wide awake and, instead, of trying to get back to sleep, I got up, went to the den, turned on the light and then the pc to "surf the internet." I hadn't even got on-line (dial-up)when I heard the car door shut outside. The car is in the driveway about 15 feet from the den. The den window was opened. I ran for the door, but stopped to search for the flashlight. When I got out, I headed south, because it's the easiest way to access the property and I figured that's the direction whoever shut the door would run. It may have been a mistake, however. I didn't find anyone. The house is located about 1/4 mile off a dirt road back in the woods. It's easiest to access it from the south via the driveway. I looked around for about 10 minutes and figured that whoever shut the car door was gone or else I couldn't find him.

When I returned to the car, I shined the flashlight in the interior and didn't notice anything. I then went in, got the key, came back, and started the car. It started. I only lock the car- sophisticated security security- when I'm out and about, and, rarely, if ever lock it at home. So, naturally, I decided to lock it after the fact and pressed the key immobilizer lock button, which locks the car. And, that's when I noticed the security indicator light blinking. Someone may have slipped another key into the ignition in order to start it. I doubt that the person was a cop, because whoever it was knew about cars and was familiar with the area. However, he now realizes that there's a transponder in the key that has to match or else the vehicle won't start. So what was the motive? To steal it or disable the security alarm? As I've said, the house is located 1/4 mile back in the woods and the gate's locked every night, but that's not a big deal. They cut the chain before and they could also jimmy the lock. I also intend to search the vehicle later this morning for illegal contraband.