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Slashback: Summer, Sail, Sex Offenders

Slashback this evening brings you updates on recent and ongoing stories about the lost (or just possibly not lost) solar sail launched earlier this week, Website tagging (this time client-side), Google's Summer of Code, and more -- read on for the details.

A new definition for optimism. Rei writes "According to a weblog entry from the Planetary Society, it appears that Cosmos 1 - the world's first controlled solar-sail spacecraft - has been found. The data is still tentative, but they have detected evidence of the spacecraft's signal in multiple tracking stations. There is a chance that it is in the wrong orbit, but it appears to be up there. This is after it was reported that the Volna rocket that launched it lost an engine after 83 seconds, and many had assumed that the craft was lost."

The power of the tag can only grow with time. An Anonymous reader writes "Saw your coverage of YubNub - I've been playing with a similar tool for a while that might interest your readers. It's called Ambedo and works in a way that you can tag search engines or bookmarks with a bookmarklet (you can also enter them manually if you want to). These are then added to you own tag directory. You then access these tags by typing them in a search box -- but all the matching is done client-side in javascript. It also has nice features like matching IP addresses, domain names, FedEx packages, calculator in the search box and so on."

If you like it so much, why don'tcha marry it? Mad Merlin writes "Groklaw has an interview with Chris DiBona of Google with regards to their Summer of Code program (as previously covered here). When asked why Google is doing the SoC program, Chris responds, 'It is simple: We love open source. A great number of Googlers have and are donating their 20% time to the open source efforts that we're doing.'"

Just kidding! scotty777 writes "Japan plans to give up its bid to have the world's first nuclear fusion reactor built in Aomori Prefecture. Japan Today reports the government decision, which means that the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) site decision can be made. Japan Times reports that the government announced the decision by saying 'it plans to back down [from the Aomori site proposal] if the European Union stands firm on bringing the project to Cadarache, in southern France.'"

Surely this won't cause any controversy. davenaffis writes "Here's a little site I developed that uses Google Maps to map sex offenders. Only Washington, D.C. data is available right now, but I'll be adding more states soon."

19 of 471 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Three things by Leroy_Brown242 · · Score: 2, Informative

    "Official" addresses for sex offenders can be wrong.

    TGIK got his address removed from the list a while back when he found out that the dude who lived at his place before he did, was a sex offender.

    Mistakenly, his address was still on the list.

  2. Re:Three things by FinalCut · · Score: 2, Informative

    I don't know about the entire sex offender list but my very simple random sample of one person:

    Carlton L. Colemen was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor (under the age of 18).

    That doesn't sound like public urination to me.

    So, to be a bit more scientific I randomly picked another:

    Dwayne A Woodard was convicted of 2nd degree rape of a 17 year old aquaintance.

    And, just because I like to be fair I picked a third from the middle of the list:
    Ronald K Lassiter was convicted of Child Abuse

    Seems odd that not one of my three person sample had a conviction even remotely close to urinating in public.

    However, what I found really interesting was the fact that so many of them live within a couple blocks of each other (D.C. map) I wonder if there is some form of neighborhood limitation upon sex offenders in the Capital? I know most people don't want sex offenders living near them; but it seems amazing to me that so many live so close together. Imagine being a family living in that neighborhood. It can't leave you feeling very safe for your children, wife, sister, etc..

  3. Re:Sex offenders have no rights? by WhatAmIDoingHere · · Score: 4, Informative

    Their set of rights is smaller than yours or mine.

    There exist lists of convicted sex offenders. They have to register when they move. They have to register every year even if they don't move. If the community they move into doesn't want them around, they can get a petition thrown together and the sex offender cannot live there. Oh, and they'll know when he moves in. Usually some group will make a big stink about the whole deal.

    Once you commit a sex crime (or are convicted of ANY felony) you lose the majority of your rights.

    --
    Not a Twitter sockpuppet... but I wish I was.
  4. ITER intro by interiot · · Score: 4, Informative
    For those who need an intro to ITER:
    ITER is a proposed international tokamak (magnetic confinement fusion) experiment designed to show the scientific and technological feasibility of a full-scale fusion power reactor.

    ITER will use a hydrogen plasma torus operating at over 100 million Celsius. It will produce approximately 500 megawatts of fusion power sustained for up to 500 seconds (compared to JET's peak of 16 MW for less than a second). ITER will not generate electrical power.

    ITER is the experimental step between today's studies of plasma physics and tomorrow's electricity-producing fusion power plants.

    It sounds like the plans for it were pretty much ready to go, they just couldn't decide where to build the thing. So, all systems are go now?
  5. Re:LOST???? by 808paulson · · Score: 2, Informative

    It's from this tv show called LOST

    http://thenumbers.greatestjournal.com/

  6. Re:The solar sail wasn't lost... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Link's outdated. The sub was the Borisoglebsk.

  7. Re:Sex offenders have no rights? by radiumsoup · · Score: 2, Informative

    Your last paragraph has made a black-and-white class of people that always behave the same way regardless of therapy and/or medication.

    In fact, there *IS* evidence that sex offenders *CAN* change their behavior. If there was not, no court in 49 states (California excluded because they're just insane) would ever release them. Ever. There would be mandatory life sentences for every sex offender, no matter how "trivial" (the example of a woman claiming to be 18 but was really 16 is a good example) the intent of the offense.

    People that talk in terms of "always" and "never" scare me more than sex offenders. After all, I have a gun in my home and keep VERY close watch on my children. But I can't defend myself against your ideas.

  8. Re:A map too far? by MrResistor · · Score: 3, Informative

    Most states already have a website that does exactly the same thing already. Perhaps you've heard of Megan's Law? Google for it if you're unfamiliar.

    --
    Under capitalism man exploits man. Under communism it's the other way around.
  9. Re:Three things by perp · · Score: 2, Informative
    If you really wanted to protect the public you'd make the address of career violent criminals (like those who commit multiple armed robberies, assault, etc.) public.

    Eespecially since sex offenders are generally less likely to reoffend than other criminals (see here and here)

    --
    There are two kinds of sysadmins: paranoids and losers. I'm both kinds.
  10. Re:ethics? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative
    Have you ever considered the fact that a majority of registered sex offenders are at the lower end of the income scale? Even if they weren't before then afterwards they may well have lost their jobs and are making far less money then before. Add to that how difficult it is for those registered sex offenders that rent to find someone who will rent to them. Drop by your local apartment management company and ask them their policy on renting to sex offenders or even convicted felons in general. They claim their right to do this becasue they may be held liable if they rent to them. In general sex offenders cluster because it is some place they can afford in a place that will rent to them that follows distance requirements.

    Based on the fact that sex offences have amongst the lowest recidivism rates I think this is a crock. I personally think that placing sex offenders in these situations actually increases the risk of reoffending. Placing someone that is already feeling hopeless in a hopeless situation and making them live in low income housing, apartments, and trailer parks is a recipe for trouble. This type of housing, which anyone that has lived in one knows, has a much higher percentage of unsupervised children from disfunctional families running around. This is a prime target for sex offenders that target children outside the family.

    I am speaking from experiance on most of this which is why I am posting anonymous for those that care

    Sex Offender Support and Education Network

  11. Re:WTF? by ManoMarks · · Score: 2, Informative

    Sex offenders are those who have committed sexually based offenses (think Law and Order SVU), such as rape, child molestation, statutory rape, etc. Unfortunately, some people in the registries are there for things like sodomy between consenting adults, or urinating in public. So the registry is probably too broad. On the other hand, this is only those convicted of a crime, not all sex offenders.

    --

    That's gotta fit into your schema somewhere

  12. Re:LOST???? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    In the TV show LOST there is this running background thing about this sequence being cursed numbers.

  13. Re:Sex offenders have no rights? by dietz · · Score: 2, Informative

    Note that all convicted felons -- not just sex offenders -- have lost their right to vote.

    That's only true for federal elections and certain states. It's a common misconception that it's true everywhere, which leads to tons of felons who are eligible to vote for state and municipal issues not voting.

    So I thought I'd point that out before the urban legend spreads further.

  14. Use a little google why don't you? by 3.5+stripes · · Score: 3, Informative

    http://www.freep.com/news/metro/dicker20_20031020. htm

    This mentions people on the michigan sex offender list, without names.. but states a woman is there for public urination, and some guys are there for consensual sex with underage girlfriends.

    Both are examples given by the grandparent.

    Have a look here to:

    http://www.geocities.com/eadvocate/issues/harm-reg ister.html

    --


    He tried to kill me with a forklift!
  15. PUBLIC EXHIBIITONISM == LISTABLE SEX OFFENCE. by goombah99 · · Score: 4, Informative

    Things that can get you on a registered sexual offender list:

    public urination, exhibitionism, nudism, streaking, flashing, mooning, outdoor consensual sex, lewd behaviour.

    Dont believe me?

    utah law book says:

    (d) "Sex offender" means any person convicted by this state or who enters a plea in abeyance for violating Section 76-7-102, 76-9-702.5, 76-5a-3, 76-10-1306, or 76-5-301.1

    and all of those are for lewd behaviour that specifically includes public urination, streaking, and mooning.

    LAW LINK

    "The study found that people charged with crimes such as public urination, flashing, consensual sex between teenagers, possession of child pornography and adult prostitution are all classified as sex offenders in some states."

    Link to source

    "Plaistow Deputy Chief Kathleen Jones also said that not every person on the sex offender list has necessarily committed an egregious crime such as rape or molestation because a conviction of indecent exposure, even in cases such as public urination, can land someone on the list."
    Link

    "According to Michigan State Police Sgt. Troy Fellows, urinating in public is classified as indecent exposure, and requires sex offender registration after three convictions...[And] Judges [can] to order registration after any number of convictions..."

    Link

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
  16. The law in Utah by westlake · · Score: 2, Informative
    Utah Code 77-27-21.5. Sex offender registration:

    "Sex offender" means any person:

    (i) convicted by this state of:
    (A) a felony or class A misdemeanor violation of Section 76-4-401, enticing a minor over the Internet;
    (B) Section 76-5-301.1, kidnapping of a child;
    (C) a felony violation of Section 76-5-401, unlawful sexual activity with a minor;
    (D) Section 76-5-401.1, sexual abuse of a minor;
    (E) Section 76-5-401.2, unlawful sexual conduct with a 16 or 17 year old;
    (F) Section 76-5-402, rape;
    (G) Section 76-5-402.1, rape of a child;
    (H) Section 76-5-402.2, object rape;
    (I) Section 76-5-402.3, object rape of a child;
    (J) a felony violation of Section 76-5-403, forcible sodomy;
    (K) Section 76-5-403.1, sodomy on a child;
    (L) Section 76-5-404, forcible sexual abuse;
    (M) Section 76-5-404.1, sexual abuse of a child or aggravated sexual abuse of a child;
    (N) Section 76-5-405, aggravated sexual assault;
    (O) Section 76-5a-3, sexual exploitation of a minor;
    (P) Section 76-7-102, incest;
    (Q) Section 76-9-702.5, lewdness involving a child;
    (R) Section 76-10-1306, aggravated exploitation of prostitution; or
    (S) attempting, soliciting, or conspiring to commit any felony offense listed in Subsection (1)(e)(i)...

    (E) applies only if the convicted is ten years older than the minor at the time of the offense 76-5-401.2. Unlawful sexual conduct with a 16 or 17 year old:

    a) has sexual intercourse with the minor;
    (b) engages in any sexual act with the minor involving the genitals of one person and the mouth or anus of another person, regardless of the sex of either participant; or
    (c) causes the penetration, however slight, of the genital or anal opening of the minor by any foreign object, substance, instrument, or device, including a part of the human body, with the intent to cause substantial emotional or bodily pain to any person or with the intent to arouse or gratify the sexual desire of any person, regardless of the sex of any participant.
    (3) A violation of Subsection (2) is a third degree felony.

  17. Re:They have done the time, but not for future cri by bovinewasteproduct · · Score: 2, Informative

    Sorry but the percentages speak loud and clear - unlike other criminal activity a sex offender is FAR more likley to repeat the offense. That's exactly why there is a registry

    Can you backup your statements with valid studies? The majority of the studies I've seen point the other way, especially if the offenders in question received any type of treatment. Here is a link from the US Justice Department with data showing about a 16% average reoffense rate for sex crimes (13% recidivism rate for molestors and 19% for rapists for new sex offenses) (Look in FAQ). Considering the average rate for non-sex offender recidivism is above 30%, welll....

    The real reason for the registry is to make people feel good and think that congress is doing something, nothing more.

    BWP

  18. That is the 2005 law. by goombah99 · · Score: 2, Informative

    What you post is the 2005 law. What was posted above was the 2003 law. Clearly they amended the law. Still the point is well taken, people convicted of sex offences on utah prior to 2005 might well be public urinators and have to registered sex offenders in any state they live in.

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
  19. Minnesota Sex Offender GMap by beedun · · Score: 2, Informative

    Here is a link to a Google map plotting out the sex offenders in Minnesota, enjoy! http://www.sexoffendersminnesota.com/