Colorado Mike's Rants

Explicit Bear Attack

2008-02-16T19:56:00.005-07:00

Mail Theft and current prosecution efforts (or the lack thereof).

2008-02-16T16:56:00.005-07:00

The week before Christmas 2007 I was astonished to learn that my mail had been diverted to another state. My daughter-in-law had diverted all the mail being delivered to my address to her Tucson apartment.
Despite my complaints to the Office of the Post Master General and a copy of the document used by the Post Office to divert my mail which clearly shows the printed and signed name of my daughter-in-law and her then current address, the Postal Inspectors office refused to prosecute this "open and shut" instance of felonious theft.
Current figures by "Recent Surveys and Studies from Javelin Strategy & Research" indicate that there were 8.4 million US adult victims of identity fraud in 2007. The mean fraud amount per fraud victim in 2007 was $5,720. The mean resolution time was 25 hours per victim in 2007. http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/idtheftsurveys.htm#Jav2007.
The penalty for mail theft in Arizona is up to 5 years in prison and $250,000.00 in fines. But the crime is so widespread and the postal inspectors so few in number the odds of prosecution are heavily in favor of the miscreants. You'd think the Postal Service would come up with a more stringent COA form and confirmation procedures to make apprehension and prosecution more effectively pursued.

Dinner Party

2008-02-14T22:34:00.002-07:00

First Call

2008-02-14T10:34:00.006-07:00

Happy Valentine's Day All

Today's snow was widely predicted and caused minimum disruption to traffic and rush hour in Denver. There are always those who will jack with the rest of us no matter what the time or conditions. A simple lack of consideration can account for 97% of the accidents and near misses on our roads. Telephone conversations while driving by those who can't walk and chew gum have to be a sizable percentage of the delays experienced by us all. The widely held belief that the rest of us are merely clogging up their roads and therefore they have the right to proceed to the head of the waiting line at a traffic transition and merge regardless of the space or number of patiently cued cars.
Please plan ahead and leave for your destination in plenty of time for the length and condition of your trip. Remember, if you knew and were known by those you treat so shabbily on the road I bet you would drive with more (or some) consideration.