use an outlet, go to jail

I thought it was silly when I heard recently about a San Francisco coffee house that offers free wireless internet but charges for use of electrical outlets, but then I read this:

Student busted for plugging laptop into train station outlet

BERLIN (AP) -- A student in central Germany is accused of stealing electricity -- less than a penny's worth.

Police busted the student after he plugged his laptop computer into an outlet at a train station.

German prosecutors say they're investigating the student for pilfering less than a cent's worth of electricity.

Police originally suspected the laptop was stolen. But after the student proved he owned the computer, prosecutors opened the theft of power investigation.

A prosecutor said if there's a suspicion of a crime, they have no choice but to investigate. However, officials said the charges will likely be dropped.

[link|http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2004/02/27/student_busted_for_plugging_laptop_into_train_station_outlet/|http://www.boston.co...n_station_outlet/]

This could be an excellent tactic under our own Patriot Act...but of course, one of the glories of the Land of the Free is that we are bound up in such snarls and coils of petty prohibitions that almost any of us could be nailed on something if the authorities felt themselves sufficiently provoked. A similar approach is widely used in many workplaces (not, of course, my own), I'm told.

cordially,

Post #143,615 by rcareaga 2/27/04 10:43:35 AM Reply	use an outlet, go to jail I thought it was silly when I heard recently about a San Francisco coffee house that offers free wireless internet but charges for use of electrical outlets, but then I read this: Student busted for plugging laptop into train station outlet BERLIN (AP) -- A student in central Germany is accused of stealing electricity -- less than a penny's worth. Police busted the student after he plugged his laptop computer into an outlet at a train station. German prosecutors say they're investigating the student for pilfering less than a cent's worth of electricity. Police originally suspected the laptop was stolen. But after the student proved he owned the computer, prosecutors opened the theft of power investigation. A prosecutor said if there's a suspicion of a crime, they have no choice but to investigate. However, officials said the charges will likely be dropped. [link\|http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2004/02/27/student_busted_for_plugging_laptop_into_train_station_outlet/\|http://www.boston.co...n_station_outlet/] This could be an excellent tactic under our own Patriot Act...but of course, one of the glories of the Land of the Free is that we are bound up in such snarls and coils of petty prohibitions that almost any of us could be nailed on something if the authorities felt themselves sufficiently provoked. A similar approach is widely used in many workplaces (not, of course, my own), I'm told. cordially, Die Welt ist alles, was der Fall ist.
Post #143,617 by admin 2/27/04 10:50:27 AM Reply	The charges were dropped. Regards, -scott anderson "Welcome to Rivendell, Mr. Anderson..."
Post #143,618 by deSitter 2/27/04 10:51:03 AM Reply	Ohm my God that was a good one -drl
Post #143,620 by inthane-chan 2/27/04 10:56:01 AM Reply	Watt is up with all the puns?
Post #143,621 by drewk 2/27/04 10:57:18 AM Reply	Not our fault, that's what it said on the news wire === Implicitly condoning stupidity since 2001.
Post #143,624 by deSitter 2/27/04 11:00:56 AM Reply	you mean ground fault Who will be the first to work in that the actions of the Chermans was revolting? -drl
Post #143,665 by rickw 2/27/04 1:19:17 PM Reply	Currently, this sounds like the Power Law to me. WWJD? JWRTFM.
Post #143,623 by Steve Lowe 2/27/04 10:59:47 AM Reply	Shocking. ----- Steve
Post #143,646 by rcareaga 2/27/04 12:27:44 PM Reply	Re: Shocking. Well, I note that the "News Picks" forum is described on the index page as "Current news you'd like to talk about." cord-ially, Die Welt ist alles, was der Fall ist.
Post #143,647 by Steve Lowe 2/27/04 12:29:22 PM Reply	Watt are you getting all amped up about, shorty? ----- Steve
Post #143,648 by deSitter 2/27/04 12:34:49 PM Reply	Re: Shocking. I have a friend who was valedictorian at his high school in Tenafly NJ in the mid 60s - now this was a good school in a well-to-do area, so such an achievement was not without honor. But, far from seeing this honor as an opportunity to rhapsodize on life's possibilities tto a captive audience in the usual insufferable manner, he wrote a deliberately over-the-top valediction that was filled with as many terms from modern math and physics - group, ring, etc. etc. as could be jammed in. While he's giving this inspiring oration his nerdy friends are twittering and guffawing as each term appears. It must have been a great performance. -drl
Post #143,662 by tuberculosis 2/27/04 1:17:56 PM Reply	Ouch that Hertz! The tree of research must from time to time be refreshed with the blood of bean counters. -- Alan Kay
Post #143,669 by Another Scott 2/27/04 1:21:33 PM Reply	:-)
Post #143,670 by deSitter 2/27/04 1:22:06 PM Reply	ZOINK - the kid has potential! -drl
Post #143,731 by dmarker 2/27/04 6:07:56 PM 2/27/04 6:43:42 PM Reply	Re: Why?, He stole at least 50 cycles from the station ??? <br> Edited by dmarker Feb. 27, 2004, 06:43:42 PM EST Expand All History
Post #143,674 by Arkadiy 2/27/04 1:23:49 PM Reply	Cost of prosecution in the hundereds dollars, no doubt -- The number of the beast - vi vi vi --[link\|http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?QuotesOnComputers\|Delexa Jones]
Post #143,686 by drewk 2/27/04 1:55:23 PM Reply	Stop that, don't you see we're having a pun war here? === Implicitly condoning stupidity since 2001.
Post #143,694 by boxley 2/27/04 2:17:05 PM Reply	he doesnt have the capacitor to unnerstan when I was young I envisioned myself as the embodiment of Trinity, Now I realize I have turned into the Bambino questions, help? [link\|mailto:pappas@catholic.org\|email pappas at catholic.org]
Post #143,696 by Arkadiy 2/27/04 2:26:47 PM Reply	My resistance is quite high, yes. -- The number of the beast - vi vi vi --[link\|http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?QuotesOnComputers\|Delexa Jones]
Post #143,732 by deSitter 2/27/04 6:10:14 PM Reply	Mho's the pity -drl
Post #143,743 by Another Scott 2/27/04 6:29:45 PM Reply	He did it with great reluctance, I'll bet.
Post #143,746 by dmarker 2/27/04 6:47:16 PM 2/27/04 10:34:39 PM Reply	Re: dup Edited by dmarker Feb. 27, 2004, 10:34:39 PM EST Expand All History
Post #143,747 by dmarker 2/27/04 6:48:53 PM Reply	Re: He saw a sign wave as he entered - 'power point'
Post #143,689 by rickw 2/27/04 1:57:15 PM Reply	Admin: Please shunt this to a parallel path in Pun forum. WWJD? JWRTFM.
Post #143,693 by boxley 2/27/04 2:16:38 PM Reply	Piece is too long use a condenser when I was young I envisioned myself as the embodiment of Trinity, Now I realize I have turned into the Bambino questions, help? [link\|mailto:pappas@catholic.org\|email pappas at catholic.org]
Post #143,775 by Ashton 2/27/04 10:21:18 PM Reply	Primary electron fraud - I'd wire Joules Verne, reluctantly

Welcome to IWETHEY!