jtimbck2
04-16-2004, 10:04 AM
Will Your Computer Habit Get You in Trouble?
Computer hobbyists and gadgetphiles, (a description that fits us and many of our readers) often have higher than normal electric bills because of all the electronic toys that require power. We have Web servers, a mail server, a couple of domain controllers, two file servers, our primary workstations, the "kitchen computer," the Media Center PC, the iMac and the firewalls, all
of which stay on all the time. Then there are the laptops that have to be charged, not to mention two wide-screen TVs, home theater/audio equipment, the external hard disks, surveillance cameras, and more mundane household
appliances. We cringe every month when the bill from the power company comes in.
If you're like us, though, it's worth the extra cost to be on the cutting edge of technology. But now there's a new worry to go along with how to pay
the bill: is your high usage of electricity going to get you in trouble with the police?
You might think that's a silly idea, and a suburban family in Carlsbad, California probably would have thought so, too - until their home was raided
last month due in part to their $250-300 per month electric bills. Police suspected the high power usage indicated that they were using high intensity lamps to grow marijuana, and got a judge to sign a search warrant based on their suspicions. You can read a summary of the story at:
http://www.shortnews.com/shownews.cfm?id=38233&u_id=31509
Given the huge number of consumer electronics on the market today, most of which consume electricity, along with spouses and children who leave doors open when the air conditioning is on and don't turn off the lights when they leave the room, we hope this doesn't become a trend. It seems that even as the "smart house" becomes more of a reality, even for non-billionaires, the
"home as castle" concept is fading fast. What do you think? Should your electricity usage be scrutinized and used against you to prove that you
"might" be dealing drugs? Was this just an isolated incident of a judge exercising poor judgment, or do you think our fifth amendment right to be secure in our houses against unreasonable searches and seizures is in danger?
Computer hobbyists and gadgetphiles, (a description that fits us and many of our readers) often have higher than normal electric bills because of all the electronic toys that require power. We have Web servers, a mail server, a couple of domain controllers, two file servers, our primary workstations, the "kitchen computer," the Media Center PC, the iMac and the firewalls, all
of which stay on all the time. Then there are the laptops that have to be charged, not to mention two wide-screen TVs, home theater/audio equipment, the external hard disks, surveillance cameras, and more mundane household
appliances. We cringe every month when the bill from the power company comes in.
If you're like us, though, it's worth the extra cost to be on the cutting edge of technology. But now there's a new worry to go along with how to pay
the bill: is your high usage of electricity going to get you in trouble with the police?
You might think that's a silly idea, and a suburban family in Carlsbad, California probably would have thought so, too - until their home was raided
last month due in part to their $250-300 per month electric bills. Police suspected the high power usage indicated that they were using high intensity lamps to grow marijuana, and got a judge to sign a search warrant based on their suspicions. You can read a summary of the story at:
http://www.shortnews.com/shownews.cfm?id=38233&u_id=31509
Given the huge number of consumer electronics on the market today, most of which consume electricity, along with spouses and children who leave doors open when the air conditioning is on and don't turn off the lights when they leave the room, we hope this doesn't become a trend. It seems that even as the "smart house" becomes more of a reality, even for non-billionaires, the
"home as castle" concept is fading fast. What do you think? Should your electricity usage be scrutinized and used against you to prove that you
"might" be dealing drugs? Was this just an isolated incident of a judge exercising poor judgment, or do you think our fifth amendment right to be secure in our houses against unreasonable searches and seizures is in danger?