From: Phil Osborn (philosborn2001@yahoo.com)
Date: Sun Apr 14 2002 - 22:48:53 MDT
>From: Samantha Atkins (samantha@objectent.com)
Date: Fri Apr 12 2002 - 02:14:44 MDT
'Yes. And the problem is particularly worrisom for we
who have much of our knowledge and livelihood tied up
in computer systems. Those can be and sometimes are
confiscated for examination and when they are it is
*extremely* difficult to
reclaim them even when all charges are dropped (if any
are actually even made). '>
When the FDA raided the Life Extension Foundation
offices years ago, they seized not only the Foundation
computers, but also those laptops that were the
personal property of anyone who happened to be
present. LEF eventually defeated the FDA, totally and
completely (and it was the first time the FDA had ever
lost in court.) and I think they collected damages.
Don't know about the computers.
I do know that ALH&Co. was raided in the early '90's
by a conglomorate hit squad from several Federal
agencies, who stormed into their offices (the door was
open) with machine guns and siezed everything in site,
including, again, personal laptops belonging to
customers or employees. Hargis successfully sued and
got everything back, although the laptops drives had
all been formatted.
Since my previous post in which I indicated that I
kind of expected further trouble since I contacted my
Green friend, I received a nice letter from the DMV,
informing me that my van had been "totalled" and
"salvaged" and that I must post haste send them my
plates and title and prepare to go through a nightmare
(been there, etc.) of inspections and fees to
reregister it.
They based this claim on information which they had
allegedly received from Farmer's Insurance, which paid
me $1,000 a couple months back, in compensation for
damage ensuing when one of their clients ran into my
van as it was legally parked on the street. I
specifically brought up this issue with the Farmers
agent and was assured that they would not claim the
vehicle was totalled, and the DMV's own code,
available on their site, says very specifically that
only the owner or the owner's insurance can make such
a decision.
Nonetheless, the DMV is citing the fact that I
accepted the $1,000 as proof that I agreed to this
travesty. There was no attached paperwork with the
check from Farmers and no other written
correspondence.
It's not like this will kill me, but it will mean a
book or two that I can't get to, a day or two or three
out of my life (probably that much already, given how
stressed I was today.).... Enough of these little
annoyances together can pretty well halt you in your
tracks.
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