Even if you never fall victim to that information being abused, there's always the chance that someone goes home from work every day and talks to his family over dinner about what this jackass he had to monitor at work was doing all day long.
Privacy is a lot like network security. It can only be fully gained by complete isolation. A computer accessible only by sneaker-net is the most likely to be categorized as private and secure.
Privacy had a different definition 50 years ago because the duality of information sharing had not been realized. When we are able to type a few keystrokes and expect that megabytes of information be returned to us in milliseconds from someone else's hold on data, why shouldn't we expect to sacrifice our hold on data to a proportionate degree? Privacy, as we know it, is not possible now. It is not possible because our growing need as individuals for information and knowledge absolutely and completely overrides what we have known as privacy.
Privacy advocates mean well, and it's good to have a voice saying "No cameras in my bathroom, please" and "No, my social security number should not be tattooed on my forehead" but the line between utility and futility for these arguments is constantly shifting toward futility. As technology progresses there will be more arguments that need to be made, but many traditional arguments will continue to suffer loss of relevance.
Government agencies can know whatever they want about me. I don't care. If I had something to hide from them, then those agencies have the duty (What was it called? Oh yeah, a law) to know and act on that knowledge.
Yes, I use the discount cards at the grocery store. I don't understand why SafeWay needs to know how many bars of soap and frozen pizzas I buy, but I don't care.
If privacy really is such a big necessity, then one must realize that it's a two-way street and that expectations of knowledge-sharing on the part of others needs to be curbed.
Regarding "The Man":
Paranoia is really not becoming of anyone and it's dangerous to your health as the constant looking behind your shoulder can cause whiplash. Take a deep breath, calm down, and put that brain to work. Proverbially speaking, money corrupts. Does that mean that everyone with an extra penny is a little bit more likely to kick you in the teeth for spite? To me, it means that the wealthy philanthropists are less attractive to the media than the wealthy misantrhopes.
Regarding intelligence failures:
Off the top of your head, tell me how many intelligence successes occur annually? No, don't go looking to the media (not even FoxNews...). No, don't even ask Congress.
Can't think of many, right?
By unofficial definition a true "intelligence success" will never be public knowledge. We, as the general public, have no idea of the staggeringly high number of times intelligence has saved our lives. Ironically, we know all too well a sickening amount of detail from such clusterf$%@s that led to 9/11, the U.S.S Cole bombing, etc.
If we had any clue as to how many "intelligence successes" have saved us from destruction/distress we would probably be scared to get out of bed. We should all be thankful that people are out there working to make sure we don't have to hide under the covers quaking in fear.
You wanted some sources? OK:
Bureau of Labor and Statistics lists plenty of information on employment/unemployment. Take a look at the historical unemployment rates and whip out a calculator. For '92 to '00 I calculate unemployment to an average of 6.1% -- Nothing wrong with that. That's a very healthy unemployment rate and I couldn't complain, but when you compare that with the current rate quoted at 5.6%, a lot of complaints about the current administration's unemployment rate lose their ability to hold water.
Bankrate.com has some great information and graphical representations of historical rates and economic indicators. Take a look and let me know how you feel about the current indicators?
If you want a look at how other people are thanklessly putting their lives on the line for my safety and yours, and hence why they command my utmost respect and gratitude to the extent that I refuse to acknowledge intelligence failures, read Book Of Honor by Ted Gup.
You really need to stop getting all your news from Nova, 60 Minutes, Dateline, and Michael Moore's diary...
Contrary to popular belief:
1. "The Man" doesn't really exist and if he did, he probably wouldn't be hell-bent on "keeping you down".
2. Satan does not fund big-businesses.
3. Big-businesses do not fund Satan.
4. Intelligence did not fail. Please, please, pleeaase do your homework on the 9/11 commission and the actual "failures" of the intelligence community before you make sweeping judgments like that.
5. Trickle-down economics has been proven to WORK! Business benefits, investors benefit, consumers benefit, communities benefit, and the economy benefits -- probably why we have an unemployment rate lower than Clinton's average, a record home-buying market, and no inflation even though we took a huge hit on a major financial hub 3 years ago. Is the alternative you suggest to spend more on welfare? How many of those groups I mentioned above really benefit in the longrun from welfare packages?
Take off your tinfoil hat and step into the light.
Slashdot Mirror
A lot of good men died defending their beliefs regarding the taste preference of cane sugar to high fructose corn syrup.
Now that's something to tell the grandkids about.
I call that guy my boss.
Privacy had a different definition 50 years ago because the duality of information sharing had not been realized. When we are able to type a few keystrokes and expect that megabytes of information be returned to us in milliseconds from someone else's hold on data, why shouldn't we expect to sacrifice our hold on data to a proportionate degree? Privacy, as we know it, is not possible now. It is not possible because our growing need as individuals for information and knowledge absolutely and completely overrides what we have known as privacy.
Privacy advocates mean well, and it's good to have a voice saying "No cameras in my bathroom, please" and "No, my social security number should not be tattooed on my forehead" but the line between utility and futility for these arguments is constantly shifting toward futility. As technology progresses there will be more arguments that need to be made, but many traditional arguments will continue to suffer loss of relevance.
Government agencies can know whatever they want about me. I don't care. If I had something to hide from them, then those agencies have the duty (What was it called? Oh yeah, a law) to know and act on that knowledge.
Yes, I use the discount cards at the grocery store. I don't understand why SafeWay needs to know how many bars of soap and frozen pizzas I buy, but I don't care.
If privacy really is such a big necessity, then one must realize that it's a two-way street and that expectations of knowledge-sharing on the part of others needs to be curbed.
Paranoia is really not becoming of anyone and it's dangerous to your health as the constant looking behind your shoulder can cause whiplash. Take a deep breath, calm down, and put that brain to work. Proverbially speaking, money corrupts. Does that mean that everyone with an extra penny is a little bit more likely to kick you in the teeth for spite? To me, it means that the wealthy philanthropists are less attractive to the media than the wealthy misantrhopes.
Regarding intelligence failures:
Off the top of your head, tell me how many intelligence successes occur annually? No, don't go looking to the media (not even FoxNews...). No, don't even ask Congress.
Can't think of many, right?
By unofficial definition a true "intelligence success" will never be public knowledge. We, as the general public, have no idea of the staggeringly high number of times intelligence has saved our lives. Ironically, we know all too well a sickening amount of detail from such clusterf$%@s that led to 9/11, the U.S.S Cole bombing, etc.
If we had any clue as to how many "intelligence successes" have saved us from destruction/distress we would probably be scared to get out of bed. We should all be thankful that people are out there working to make sure we don't have to hide under the covers quaking in fear.
You wanted some sources? OK:
Sorry, no references to anything on the Washington Times, FoxNews, the Washington Post, PBS.org, antiwar.com, or thenation.com. Call me crazy, but I like my data unbiased.
That's all for now.
You really need to stop getting all your news from Nova, 60 Minutes, Dateline, and Michael Moore's diary... Contrary to popular belief: 1. "The Man" doesn't really exist and if he did, he probably wouldn't be hell-bent on "keeping you down". 2. Satan does not fund big-businesses. 3. Big-businesses do not fund Satan. 4. Intelligence did not fail. Please, please, pleeaase do your homework on the 9/11 commission and the actual "failures" of the intelligence community before you make sweeping judgments like that. 5. Trickle-down economics has been proven to WORK! Business benefits, investors benefit, consumers benefit, communities benefit, and the economy benefits -- probably why we have an unemployment rate lower than Clinton's average, a record home-buying market, and no inflation even though we took a huge hit on a major financial hub 3 years ago. Is the alternative you suggest to spend more on welfare? How many of those groups I mentioned above really benefit in the longrun from welfare packages? Take off your tinfoil hat and step into the light.