Huntsville weird news this week: Parent cited for intimidating school board due to an iPad, Fluoride to stay in drinking water [but, the commies and our vital fluids!], and some jackass shot the Saturn V.

BLOT: (08 May 2012 - 12:42:21 PM)

Huntsville weird news this week: Parent cited for intimidating school board due to an iPad, Fluoride to stay in drinking water [but, the commies and our vital fluids!], and some jackass shot the Saturn V.

When I read of a Huntsville parent being thrown out of a school board meeting for recording a bit of a public meeting on an iPad, I was halfway between bothered by the standard security theater double-speak of non-specified threats and security guards trusting their instincts and higher-ups hand-waving any responsibility while also refusing to look into anyone responsible; and also aware that every story has two sides. In this case, though, I'm pretty sure the fault is not the parent's and even though there is some bad blood—including mention of an incident where question was asked, not answered, and the parent stayed standing awaiting an answer and some of the board said it was uncomfortable—this is exactly the same sort of issue that crops up time and time again when some security guard or police officer, both of which have official access to all sorts of recordings, makes out that photography or recording of traffic stops is either outright illegal, an act of intimidation, or at least some sort of random form of copyright infringement. This situation begs for a flashmob of parents and concerned citizens to show up and record a meeting in unison.

If getting fired up over the right to record versus the right to not-be-recorded isn't your thing, how about a healthy dose of General Ripper quotes as you read this article: Madison Utilities board votes to keep fluoride in city's drinking water supply. Not sure if you know the "fluoride is poison" debate or its "fluoride is mind control" cousin, but this DuckDuckGo search for Fluoride and "Mind Control" should keep you going. In not-surprising news, I am fairly neutral about the whole thing. I would rather the city spend its "fluoride budget" on getting dentistry to kids who need it and keep the additive out of the water, but I'm not really scared of it being there.

And, without too much comment, I'll leave you with this last piece: someone shot at the Saturn V. They must have thought it was a stop sign.¹

1: For those not from the American South, there is a rednecks enjoy the hell out of signs. Presumably this is what happens when you don't spend enough on public education. Here are some photos to help illustrate.

OTHER BLOTS THIS MONTH: May 2012