Police make unbelievable find under couch in Perth home.

[old man emu]

2 hours ago, red750 said:

Many are unmanned autonomous devices these days.

Ah!   "Autonomous device" - a machine or system is able to operate without being controlled directly by humans. A corruption of the meaning of "autonomous" - independent and having the power to make your own decisions. Etymologically an abstract noun from Greek autonomia "independent, living by one's own laws," from autos "self" + nomos "custom, law" 

 

The more correct description would be "automaton" - 1610s, "a self-acting machine;" 1670s, "a living being acting mechanically".  From the Greek "automaton", "self-acting," from autos "self"  + matos "thinking, animated, willing".

 

Unfortunately, unless Artificial Intelligence makes great advances, these devices still respond to the old computer term "GIGO" - "Garbage in,Garbage out" and the garbage in comes from being controlled directly by humans.

[old man emu]

2 hours ago, red750 said:

Even the drive-thru at a takeaway food place (Macca's, KFC,etc) is subject to the road law. You can get pinged using your phone if the engine is running. Even smart watches come under these rules now.

While that is true, can you imagine the bollocking a Magistrate would give a Constable in Court who was trying to prosecute an offence occuring there? That a good example of the reasonableness of the question, "Why aren't you out there catching real criminals?"

[spacesailor]

" Not out catching real criminal s " . We are raising the money for every ones wages , from those dumb motorists .   spacesailor

[old man emu]

Spacey, 

 

[facthunter]

You have a fair bit of control of how much you choose to donate to the Policeman's  Annual Ball.  If a figure appears in the budget estimates it is something based on experience. A Legitimate expectation.  same as expecting  rain  for the year.. Nev