Senate passes new covid relief bill

[Sparko]

So, the guy who does our alarm system for our Church was in today on a low battery issue -- he asked us to let him know if we had anybody looking for a job, because virtually all of his assistants are suddenly getting more money to stay home than to come to work.

Putting in burglar alarms was one of my first jobs as a teenager. Good job too. Sure beat working at KFC.

[rogue06]

Just how old are you? and does mossy know?

This was from the early 80s IIRC. 1980s.

[Cow Poke]

Putting in burglar alarms was one of my first jobs as a teenager. Good job too. Sure beat working at KFC.

Yup, I did a stint at that -- when I was younger, a police officer ran a burglar alarm company as a side job -- I loved helping him, and it was good money for a youngster!

[rogue06]

Putting in burglar alarms was one of my first jobs as a teenager. Good job too. Sure beat working at KFC.

One of my first businesses was making fake surveillance cameras. Used a tin box, the plastic roll film used to be carried in, a piece of clear plastic, and a tiny red light hooked to a power supply which I "gussied up" with paint and fake wires leading from it.

Made darn good money until insurance companies noted that companies could get in trouble for having fake cameras that people thought were real

[Cow Poke]

One of my first businesses was making fake surveillance cameras. Used a tin box, the plastic roll film used to be carried in, a piece of clear plastic, and a tiny red light hooked to a power supply which I "gussied up" with paint and fake wires leading from it.

Made darn good money until insurance companies noted that companies could get in trouble for having fake cameras that people thought were real

They still sell fake cameras! 9 volt battery makes a little red LED next to the "lens" blink, and there's a pigtail wire coming out the back that you can stuff up into a hole or under a shingle or whatever to make it look real.

[rogue06]

They still sell fake cameras! 9 volt battery makes a little red LED next to the "lens" blink, and there's a pigtail wire coming out the back that you can stuff up into a hole or under a shingle or whatever to make it look real.

That's exactly what I sold! But companies stopped buying them saying it was due to liability concerns. I guess if someone ran up to a camera screaming for help they could be liable to anything that happened or something like that.

Still, I guess you could put them in a home or something like that.

[Cow Poke]

That's exactly what I sold! But companies stopped buying them saying it was due to liability concerns. I guess if someone ran up to a camera screaming for help they could be liable to anything that happened or something like that.

Still, I guess you could put them in a home or something like that.

BNT Dummy Fake Security Camera, with One Red LED Light at Night, for Home and Businesses Security Indoor/Outdoor (2 Pack, White)

They've gotten rather sophisticated looking!!!

dummy camera.jpg

[Cow Poke]

That's exactly what I sold! But companies stopped buying them saying it was due to liability concerns. I guess if someone ran up to a camera screaming for help they could be liable to anything that happened or something like that.

Still, I guess you could put them in a home or something like that.

Way back in my police days when camera systems were just becoming popular in your local Stop-n-Rob, there was a round of criminal defense that said "Well, that's video, but there's no sound - so you don't really know that my client was robbing the store, or just showing them the gun he bought".

[rogue06]

BNT Dummy Fake Security Camera, with One Red LED Light at Night, for Home and Businesses Security Indoor/Outdoor (2 Pack, White)

They've gotten rather sophisticated looking!!!

dummy camera.jpg

Yeah mine were a tin box painted black And I used a bracket from a hardware store to mount them.

[Cow Poke]

Yeah mine were a tin box painted black And I used a bracket from a hardware store to mount them.

As cheap and compact as electronics are these days, I have to wonder how much difference there is in the cost of the dummy as opposed to the real thing.
But I guess, since the dummies don't need a DVR, somebody's willing to pay the cheap price to bluff....

Interesting point, though, about the false sense of security somebody might have in thinking they're being "protected" or that they could summon help.

[rogue06]

Way back in my police days when camera systems were just becoming popular in your local Stop-n-Rob, there was a round of criminal defense that said "Well, that's video, but there's no sound - so you don't really know that my client was robbing the store, or just showing them the gun he bought".

Easily determined by how was the client "showing" the gun -- sideways as usual when showing it, or was the "business end" constantly pointed toward the other person.

[Cow Poke]

Easily determined by how was the client "showing" the gun -- sideways as usual when showing it, or was the "business end" constantly pointed toward the other person.

Back, then, there was all kinds of "prison wisdom" like --- if you just show them the gun, but don't actually point it at them, then that's not really robbery.
Another, which you know has long since been debunked --- if it's not a REAL gun --- or if it doesn't have bullets in it....

I remember a scene in Happy Days where they managed to lock a burglar in a closet, and he called that he was going to shoot if they don't let him out.
Richy and Potsie were terrified, but Fonz just walked over and opened the door....

When they asked how Fonz knew the guy didn't have a gun, Fonz replied .... -- a thief who robs with a gun in his hand - does 10 to 20 in the can".

The burglar mumbled, "oh great, a hood who knows prison poetry".

[Sparko]

Way back in my police days when camera systems were just becoming popular in your local Stop-n-Rob, there was a round of criminal defense that said "Well, that's video, but there's no sound - so you don't really know that my client was robbing the store, or just showing them the gun he bought".

Gah. I hate security videos. I often have to deal with the video files at work for legal cases. Every system has it's own proprietary format requiring their own players, which look like they were designed on windows XP. And they usually use like 1 frame per second frame rate. Low res. For example, if there was a slip and fall, you see the person standing there, then lying on the ground. from about 100 feet away. in glorious 640 x 480 resolution (at best). And they all want me fix it. "Can you zoom in and clean that up?" - no, this isn't a fictional TV show.

Why can't companies use HD cameras and standard video formats, like MP4? It's like the security systems are designed by the crooks so they won't get caught.

[rogue06]

Back, then, there was all kinds of "prison wisdom" like --- if you just show them the gun, but don't actually point it at them, then that's not really robbery.
Another, which you know has long since been debunked --- if it's not a REAL gun --- or if it doesn't have bullets in it....

I remember a scene in Happy Days where they managed to lock a burglar in a closet, and he called that he was going to shoot if they don't let him out.
Richy and Potsie were terrified, but Fonz just walked over and opened the door....

When they asked how Fonz knew the guy didn't have a gun, Fonz replied .... -- a thief who robs with a gun in his hand - does 10 to 20 in the can".

The burglar mumbled, "oh great, a hood who knows prison poetry".

You don't even need to have a gun. Even the poke your index finger forward while in a coat pocket and pretend you've gotta gun will do it.


The_Flintstones_-_Once_Upon_a_Coward_-_Fred_and_a_Robber.jpg






Same with simply giving a cashier a note saying you've got a gun.

[Cow Poke]

Gah. I hate security videos. I often have to deal with the video files at work for legal cases. Every system has it's own proprietary format requiring their own players, which look like they were designed on windows XP. And they usually use like 1 frame per second frame rate. Low res. For example, if there was a slip and fall, you see the person standing there, then lying on the ground. from about 100 feet away. in glorious 640 x 480 resolution (at best). And they all want me fix it. "Can you zoom in and clean that up?" - no, this isn't a fictional TV show.

Why can't companies use HD cameras and standard video formats, like MP4? It's like the security systems are designed by the crooks so they won't get caught.

Yup - even my home security system, that I bought for less than $400, has hi-res cameras and records at 3 frames per second (I think) and the video is very clear.
500Gig DVR, records on motion, 4 cameras